the branch of chemistry that involves the spatial arrangement of the atoms of molecules, and studies how this affects the physical and chemical properties of such species
{i} branch of chemistry dealing with the spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules (Chemistry)
Term originated 1878 by Viktor Meyer (1848-97) for the study of stereoisomers (see isomer). Louis Pasteur had shown in 1848 that tartaric acid has optical activity and that this depends on molecular asymmetry, and Jacobus H. van't Hoff and Joseph-Achille Le Bel (1847-1930) had independently explained in 1874 how a molecule with a carbon atom bonded to four different groups has two mirror-image forms. Stereochemistry deals with stereoisomers and with asymmetric synthesis. John Cornforth (b. 1917) and Vladimir Prelog (1906-98) shared a 1975 Nobel Prize for work on stereochemistry and stereoisomerism of alkaloids, enzymes, antibiotics, and other natural compounds
Stereochemistry is the study of how the properties of a compound are affected by the spatial positions of groups within its molecules Stereochemistry is also concerned with determining the structure of stereoisomers