How do enantiomers compare to diastereomers?

Enantiomers are a specific type of stereoisomer characterized by their relationship to one another; they are indeed non-superimposable mirror images of each other. This relationship arises due to the presence of a chiral center, which is typically a carbon atom bonded to four different substituents. Because of this unique configuration, enantiomers will have identical physical properties in an achiral environment but differ in how they interact with polarized light; one will rotate light in a clockwise direction (dextrorotatory) and the other in a counterclockwise direction (levorotatory).

This property of being mirror images distinguishes enantiomers from diastereomers, which are also stereoisomers but are not mirror images of each other. Diastereomers usually differ in configuration at one or more chiral centers but share at least one chiral center in common, leading to differences in their physical and chemical properties.

Therefore, enantiomers should be recognized for their distinct characteristic of being mirror images, which is not a quality that can be applied to diastereomers. The identification of enantiomers through their stereochemical relationship is critical in fields like pharmaceuticals, where different enantiomers can have vastly different biological effects.