What is true about the physical and chemical properties of diastereomers?

Diastereomers are a type of stereoisomer that are not mirror images of each other, which distinguishes them from enantiomers. While enantiomers share identical physical and chemical properties (such as boiling points, melting points, and solubility) due to their symmetrical relationship, diastereomers exhibit different physical and chemical properties.

This difference arises because diastereomers have at least two stereocenters and can vary in the configuration of one or more of these centers. As a result, diastereomers can have different boiling points, melting points, polarities, and reactivities. For example, one diastereomer might be soluble in water while another is not, or they may differ significantly in their optical activity.

Understanding the nature of these variations is crucial in organic chemistry and biochemistry, especially in drug development, where different diastereomers of a compound may interact distinctly with biological systems. Each diastereomer may exhibit unique biological activity, highlighting the practical significance of recognizing their differences.