What is an epimer?

Definition of an Epimer Epimers are a specific type of stereoisomer that have multiple stereocenters, but only differ from one another by the configuration at one of the stereogenic centers. A stereocenter or stereogenic center is a carbon atom that has four different atoms or groups of atoms bonded to it.

Which two sugars are epimers?

Epimers. Two sugars differing in configuration at a single asymmetric carbon atom are known as epimers. Glucose and mannose are C2 epimers, ribose and xylose are C3 epimers, and gulose and galactose are also C3 epimers (Figure 3). d-Arabinose and l-xylose are C4 epimers, and so are d-glucose and d-galactose.

Are epimers mirror images?

Epimers are stereoisomers that contain more than one chiral carbon but differ from each other in the configuration at only one chiral carbon. Therefore, they are not mirror images of each other.

What is epimeric pair?

In stereochemistry, an epimer is one of a pair of diastereomers. The two epimers have opposite configuration at only one stereogenic center out of at least two. All other stereogenic centers in the molecules are the same in each. Epimerization is the interconversion of one epimer to the other epimer.

What is the difference between an epimer and enantiomer?

Epimers are different from each other in their configurations at only one chiral carbon. The main difference between enantiomers and epimers is that enantiomers are mirror images of each other whereas epimers are not mirror images of each other.

What is an epimer in stereochemistry?

In stereochemistry, an epimer is one of a pair of stereoisomers. The two isomers differ in configuration at only one stereogenic center. All other stereocenters in the molecules, if any, are the same in each.

What is the difference between an anomeric carbon and an epimer?

In the case that the difference is the -OH groups on C-1, the anomeric carbon, such as in the case of α- D -glucopyranose and β- D -glucopyranose, the molecules are both epimers and anomers (as indicated by the α and β designation). Other closely related compounds are epi -inositol and inositol and lipoxin and epilipoxin .

What is epimerisation?

Epimerisation is a chemical process where an epimer is converted to its chiral counterpart. It can happen in condensed tannins depolymerisation reactions.