Stereochemistry: Absolute vs. Relative Stereochemistry Explained

Relative stereochem specifies a ___, while absolute stereochem specifies an ___

diastereomer, enantiomer

Relative stereochemistry specifies the spatial arrangement of a molecule’s atoms or groups of atoms in relation to each other, without reference to an external standard or reference compound. On the other hand, absolute stereochemistry specifies the exact spatial arrangement of atoms or groups of atoms in a molecule using a fixed reference compound or standard, usually involving the use of assigned priorities to the substituents attached to a stereocenter. In other words, relative stereochemistry describes the relationship between two or more stereocenters in a molecule, while absolute stereochemistry provides a unique and unambiguous way to specify the orientation of each substituent around a particular stereocenter.

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