ETS Major Field Test Chemistry Practice Test

Diastereomers are distinguished from enantiomers by differing in configuration at one or more chiral centers within their molecular structure. While enantiomers are non-superimposable mirror images of each other and differ at all chiral centers, diastereomers are not mirror images and can differ at just some of the chiral centers, leading to unique spatial arrangements. This distinction allows diastereomers to possess different physical and chemical properties, such as boiling points, solubilities, and reactivities, which are not typically shared by enantiomers. Thus, recognizing the configuration at chiral centers is essential for differentiating between these types of stereoisomers.