What characteristic of enantiomers remains the same across different samples?

• A. Their boiling point
• B. Their density
• C. Their physical and chemical properties
• D. Their reactivity with non-chiral substances

Answer: (C)

Enantiomers are pairs of stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. One of the key characteristics of enantiomers is that they have identical physical and chemical properties in terms of reactivity with non-chiral substances, boiling point, and density. However, they differ in their interactions with chiral environments, such as other chiral molecules.

The correct answer highlights that, while enantiomers can exhibit different behavior in chiral settings (such as biological systems or certain chemical reactions with chiral catalysts), their intrinsic physical and chemical properties (like boiling points and densities) do not change across different samples. Therefore, regardless of the sample variation, enantiomers will remain consistent in their physical and chemical properties, reinforcing the idea that these are fundamental characteristics that do not vary between different enantiomers.

This understanding is crucial in stereochemistry, as it emphasizes the unique behavior of enantiomers in chiral situations while acknowledging that their essential chemical identity remains unchanged in achiral contexts.