The traditional name for a tetrahedrally coordinated carbon atom bonded to four different entities, two and only two of which have the same constitution but opposite chirality sense. The
r/s descriptors of pseudo-asymmetric carbon atoms are invariant on reflection in a mirror (i.e.
r remains
r, and
s remains
s), but are reversed by the exchange of any two entities (i.e.
r becomes
s, and
s becomes
r). An example is C-3 of ribaric (C-3 is
r) or xylaric acid (C-3 is
s) or hyoscyamine (C-3 is
r). The hyphen in pseudo-asymmetric may be omitted.
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Source:
PAC, 1996, 68, 2193. 'Basic terminology of stereochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2214 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122193)