Mnemonic in Stereochemical Nomenclature Teaching

Abstract

The chemical mnemonic devices enabling students to assign the appropriate configurational descriptor to a stereogenic unit – double bond (cis/trans, E/Z), stereogenic centre (R/S), stereogenic axis (R_a/S_a, P/M) and prostereogenic centre (pro-R/pro-S) – are gathered and discussed. In addition to the inspection of stereoformula, some other mnemonics are included, e.g. the „Rule of Multiplication“, the „Right-Hand Rule of Organic Chemistry“, the „Vertical-4-Verity Rule“, the „Very good Fischer Projection“ and so on. All these devices are applicable both to the perspective formulas and to the Fischer projection formulas.