How many chiral carbons/centers does pantothenic acid have? If so, where?
To determine the number of chiral carbons in pantothenic acid and their positions, we can examine the molecular structure of the compound.
Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, has the chemical formula C₉H₁₇NO₅. It consists of a pantoic acid molecule linked to a β-alanine molecule by an amide bond.
To identify the chiral carbons, we need to look for carbon atoms that are bonded to four different groups. In pantothenic acid, there are two chiral carbons, located within the pantoic acid portion of the molecule.
The first chiral carbon is located at the second carbon atom from the left end of the pantoic acid part, which is bonded to a hydrogen atom (H), a hydroxyl group (OH), a carboxyl group (COOH), and a side chain.
The second chiral carbon is located at the third carbon atom from the left end of the pantoic acid part, which is bonded to a hydrogen atom (H), a hydroxyl group (OH), a carbonyl group (C=O), and the side chain.
Overall, pantothenic acid has two chiral carbons, which means it exists in four possible stereoisomers due to the presence of the two chiral centers.