Sphericity governs both stereochemistry in a molecule and stereoisomerism among molecules.

Abstract

The concept of sphericity and relevant fundamental concepts that we have proposed have produced a systematized format for comprehending stereochemical phenomena. Permutability of ligands in conventional approaches is discussed from a stereochemical point of view. After the introduction of orbits governed by coset representations, the concepts of subduction and sphericity are proposed to characterize desymmetrization processes, with a tetrahedral skeleton as an example. The stereochemistry and stereoisomerism of the resulting promolecules (molecules formulated abstractly) are discussed in terms of the concept of sphericity as a common mathematical and logical framework. Thus, these promolecules are characterized by point group and permutation group symmetry. Prochirality, stereogenicity, prostereogenicity, and relevant topics are described in terms of the concept of sphericity.