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Chemistry LibreTexts

Epimers

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Epimers are diastereomers that contain more than one chiral center but differ from each other in the absolute configuration at only one chiral center.

eg:

epimers1.png

1 and 2 have the same molecular formula and the same structural formula and, therefore, stereoisomers. 1 and 2 are not mirror images of each other and, therefore, are diastereomers.

epimers2.png

Diastereomers 1 and 2 differ from each other in the absolute configuration at only one chiral center. Thus, 1 and 2 are epimers.

In epimers the chiral carbon atoms whose absolute configuration makes the two compounds different are called the epimeric carbons.

epimers3.png

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This page titled Epimers is shared under a All Rights Reserved (used with permission) license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Gamini Gunawardena via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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