Chapter 5, Problem 5.74P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

All the optically active configurational isomers having the molecular formula ${\text{C}}_4{\text{H}}_{11}\text{N}$ are to be drawn.

Concept introduction:

Configurational isomers are the isomers that have the same connectivity but cannot be interconverted by rotations about single bonds. They include enantiomers and diastereomers. When drawing configurational isomers for a given molecular formula, the first step is to determine the IHD. This allows finding out the possible number of double bonds, triple bonds, or rings in each isomer. Chiral center is the atom that is attached to four different groups or atoms. A nitrogen atom that is attached to four different groups is a chiral center. The presence of chiral centers in a molecule does not guarantee that a molecule is chiral. A molecule is meso if it contains at least two chiral centers with identical sets of substituents but has a plane of symmetry that makes it achiral and optically inactive.