An example of an enantiomer is Lactic acid. Lactic acid exists in two enantiomeric forms: L-lactic acid and D-lactic acid. These forms are mirror images of each other and cannot be superimposed, similar to left and right hands. They have the same molecular formula and connectivity but differ in their spatial arrangement of atoms around the chiral center.
D and L enantiomers refer to the orientation of optical isomers based on their relation to glyceraldehyde. For example, D-glucose and L-glucose are enantiomers of each other. They have the same molecular formula and structure but differ in the arrangement of atoms around the chiral centers.
R and S enantiomers are examples of stereoisomers that are not related to D and L configuration. They are determined based on the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules, where R (rectus) and S (sinister) refer to the arrangement of substituents around a chiral center. For example, R-2-butanol and S-2-butanol are enantiomers of each other.
Hands are often used as an analogy to explain enantiomers because they are non-superimposable mirror images, similar to how enantiomers behave in chemistry. However, hands themselves are not chemical compounds and do not exhibit the specific molecular and structural characteristics of enantiomers found in chemistry.
Two examples of enantiomers include L-alanine and D-alanine. L-alanine and D-alanine are mirror images of each other and cannot be superimposed. They have the same chemical composition and connectivity but differ in their spatial arrangement of atoms around the chiral carbon atom. These enantiomers exhibit distinct properties such as optical activity and biochemical behavior despite their identical molecular formula.