Question
Question: Epimers are a pair of diastereomers that differ only in the configuration about a single carbon atom...
Epimers are a pair of diastereomers that differ only in the configuration about a single carbon atom.
State whether the given statement is true or false.
A.True.
B.False.
Solution
We know that epimer in stereochemistry explicitly states one of a pair of stereoisomers. At the stereogenic center, two isomers present in the molecules differ while the remaining remains identical. A molecule may contain various stereocenters leading to several stereocenters.
Complete step by step answer:
Stereoisomers are the isomeric molecules that possess the same constitution and the molecular formula, but they vary in three-dimensional orientations of their atoms that are in the space. Stereoisomers illustration that is given below explains the L and D configurations of the glucose. Here, glucose is referred on the basis of the last chiral carbon atom.
The stereoisomers β−D−mannopyranoseand β−D−glucopyranose are Epimers examples because they differ only in the C−2 position of stereochemistry. The hydroxyl group in the β−D−glucopyranose is equatorial (in the "plane" of the ring), whereas, in β−D−mannopyranose, the C−2hydroxyl group is axial (up from the "plane" of the ring). These two molecules are Epimers, but because they are not the mirror images of each other, they are not enantiomers. (Enantiomers contain the same name, but differ in L and D classification).
Epimers are a pair of diastereomers that differ only in the configuration about a single carbon atom. Epimer refers to one of a pair of stereoisomers. The two isomers differ in configuration at only one stereogenic center. Hence, the given statement is true
Therefore, the correct answer is option A.
Note:
Remember that Epimers of glucose involve some formations such as starch, glycogen, glucose, polysaccharides, and oligosaccharides. Because of the presence of carbon in glucose molecules, it can exhibit stereoisomerism, which is enantiomers and diastereomers.