Geometrical approach to central molecular chirality: A chirality selection rule

Chirality is of primary importance in many areas of chemistry and has been extensively investigated since its discovery. We introduce here a description of central chirality for tetrahedral molecules using a geometrical approach based on complex numbers. According to this representation, for a molecule having n chiral centers it is possible to define an "index of chirality chi." Consequently, a "chirality selection rule" has been derived which allows the characterization of a molecule as achiral, enantiomer, or diastereoisomer. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.