Answer: Geometric Isomers of Budotitane

 
There are 5 geometric isomers with this formula. Om designates the oxygen closest to the methyl group, Op the oxygen closest to the phenyl group.
 
 
Ethoxides cis, Om's trans, Op's cis
Ethoxides cis, Om's cis, Op's trans
Ethoxides cis, Om's cis, Op's cis
 
Ethoxides trans, Om's trans, Op's trans
Ethoxides trans, Om's cis, Op's cis
  

The reason that isomers are so important in drug design is that normally, only one particular isomer is effective in treating the condition. Other isomers are less effective or even harmful! The classic example is thalidomide, where one enantiomer helped women overcome morning sickness associated with the early weeks of pregnancy, and the opposite enantiomer caused the horrendous birth defects (lack of arms and legs) seen in what are now known as the "thalidomide babies."
 
 

Back to Lecture 7

This page is http://chemiris.labs.brocku.ca/~chemweb/courses/chem232/L7_SelfTest1_budotitane.html
Created January 18, 2001 by M. F. Richardson
© Brock University, 2001