What are the stereoisomers of pent-3-en-2-ol?
Igloo writes I am not going to use pent-3-en-2-ol as an example, because that would be giving you all the answers, and it is much better for you to understand the ideas in my chosen example and then apply these to your example. I have chosen 4-chlorohex-2-ene, with a structural formula CH3CH=CHCHClCH2CH3 There is geometric isomerism in this compound because the carbon carbon double bond (between the 2nd and 3rd carbon atoms) has two different atoms or groups attached to each of these carbon atoms, i.e. the 2nd carbon atom is attached to a CH3 group and an H atom, and the 3rd carbon atom is attached to a CHClCH2CH3 group and an H atom. The cis form will have both hydrogen atoms on the same side of the double bond and the trans form will have these hydrogen atoms on opposite sides of the double bond. There is also optical isomerism in 4-chlorohex-2-ene, because the 4th carbon atom (from the left) is chiral, i.e. it is attached to four different atoms or groups, in this case a CH3CH=CH gr
