Glossary of stereochemical terms
Stereochemistry glossary

Italicized terms in the text indicate that they are covered elsewhere in this glossary (or that they are a symbol that is generally italicized).

• ac ; ac

  See: torsion angle.

• achiral; achiral

  See: chirality.

• achirotopic; achirotopic

  See: chirotopic.

• optical activity

  A sample (or substance) is said to possess optical activity (or to be optically active), if it is capable of rotating the plane of polarization of a transmitted beam of plane-polarized light. Rotatory power is the classic characteristic (sufficient, but not necessary) for distinguishing between systems containing unequal quantities of corresponding enantiomers. An enantiomer that rotates clockwise (when viewed in the direction of the incident light beam)...