I Think there is a confusion in the use of this term:
Chirality is used only for compounds that are optically active, i mean, if
the compound is optically active, is chiral, and if it doesn't have optical
activity, it's not. The simetry of the molecule is involved, but what makes
a compound chiral is its optical activity.
The E,Z classification of molecules is restricted to Geometric isomers, and
not to stereoisomers, so it is not involved in optical activity.
I think this definition is very useful, but maybe for stereoisomerism, and
not for chirality.
Maybe it's becuase, my english is not good enough, but i wanted to ask
a question :
In the definition, it's written that the fact that the molecules are not
symmetric, allows them to have structures that are not interchangeable. What
i understand from this definition is that setreoisomers are the same
molecule in two different, non interchangeable structures, which, as far as
i know, is not true, stereoisomers are two different molecules.
Again, i think this is a valuable definition, i hope my way of saying my
opinion doesn't offend anybody, this is not my intention.
Alfonso Garcia-Pineres.
Universidad de Costa Rica.