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Chemistry · Glossary

What is Prochiral faces?

Also known as: prochiral · Re face · Si face

Definition 28.7 University Chemistry — Year 3 · Chapter 28 — Asymmetric Synthesis

A trigonal carbon with three different substituents is prochiral: addition of a fourth, different group creates a stereocentre. Its face seen with the three substituents in decreasing CIP priority running clockwise is the Re face; counterclockwise, the Si face.

The faces of acetophenone. Seen from the front, the substituents of the carbonyl carbon in CIP order (O, phenyl, methyl) run counterclockwise: the front face is Si, the back face Re.
The faces of acetophenone. Seen from the front, the substituents of the carbonyl carbon in CIP order (O, phenyl, methyl) run counterclockwise: the front face is Si, the back face Re.
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