5 ms·

> This happens because some molecules have 3D structure that's different than its mirror image. I assume that you meant to say that that one possible product _

• feoren 5y ago
  No, I think they meant what they said: we can encounter the situation where 50% of products need to be separated out only because some molecules are chiral. (Actually their comment was extremely carefully (and well-) worded for a social media comment!) See, in general your statement that reaction products can be mirror images of each other is true for most of the chemical reactions humanity has been able to produce in a lab/factory, yet many reactions don't require separating out 50% of the products because it doesn't matter that they're mirror images if they're non-chiral molecules. Think of the (non-chiral) letter H: a right-handed and left-handed letter H are the same -- one can always be rotated to match the other. The only time it matters that most of our chemical reactions can produce either left- or right-handed molecules is when these molecules are actually different, meaning they cannot be rotated to match each other. Think of the (chiral in 2D) letter L. There's no way I can rotate the letter L in 2D space to make it match its mirror image. (Of course I can if I'm allowed to rotate it through 3D space.)
  • hobofan 5y ago
    I know how enantiomeres work (chemistry background), I just found the quoted sentence really confusing to read for some reason. I think the original press release already expressed it well in an easy to understand way with the classic hand example: > where two different molecules can form, which – just like our hands – are each other’s mirror image