Diastereomers

Diastereomers are a type of stereoisomer, which means they have the same molecular formula and connectivity of atoms but differ in the spatial arrangement of those atoms. Unlike enantiomers, which are mirror images of each other, diastereomers are not mirrors and often have different physical and chemical properties. This can affect their behavior in reactions and interactions in biological systems. For example, they may taste different or have varying levels of effectiveness as drugs. Understanding diastereomers is important in fields like chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and biochemistry.