2.2 Amino Acid Stereochemistry

All amino acids (except glycine) are chiral. L-amino acids tend to be the most prevalent in nature.

Figure 2.14: Stereochemistry of Amino Acids

Like shown in figure 2.14, L and D enantiomers are mirror images of one another. However, since they cannot be superimposed, therefore they are also structurally distinct.

Whether an amino acid is in the L or the D form boils down to the arrangement of groups around its central carbon atom (by virtue of group priority ranking - figure 2.14 also shows this).