Title: configuration
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - configuration
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.C01249
Status: current

Definition
In the context of stereochemistry, the term is restricted to the arrangements of atoms of a molecular entity in space that distinguishes stereoisomers, the isomerism between which is not due to conformation differences.

Related Terms
- absolute configuration: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/A00020
- conformation: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/C01258
- isomerism: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/I03294
- relative configuration: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/R05260
- stereoisomers: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/S05984

Sources
- PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1099 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077)
- PAC, 1996, 68, 2193. 'Basic terminology of stereochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2204 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122193)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/C01249/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/C01249/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/C01249/xml

Citation: Citation: 'configuration' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.C01249
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Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-06-07T10:52:39+00:00