SUMMARY
The second chiral carbon of the cephalexin molecule is designated as R due to the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules. In this case, the nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) atoms bonded to the chiral carbon have higher atomic numbers than the oxygen (O) atom, which influences their priority. The carbon bonded to sulfur and nitrogen is assigned second priority, while the hydrogen (H) is assigned fourth priority, confirming the R configuration of the chiral center.
PREREQUISITES
- Understanding of Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules
- Basic knowledge of chiral centers in organic chemistry
- Familiarity with molecular structure of cephalexin
- Knowledge of atomic weights of common elements (C, N, O, S)
NEXT STEPS
- Study Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules in detail
- Explore the molecular structure of cephalexin and its stereochemistry
- Learn about the significance of chiral centers in pharmaceuticals
- Investigate the role of atomic weight in determining molecular configuration
USEFUL FOR
Chemistry students, organic chemists, and pharmaceutical researchers interested in stereochemistry and the structural analysis of drug molecules like cephalexin.