chiral inversion
chiral inversion
A metabolic process which requires enzyme activity to convert one enantiomeric form into the other. Metabolic enzymes can:(1) introduce a stereogenic centre into a non-chiral molecule to form enantiomeric metabolites;
(2) alter a ligand attached to a stereogenic centre with either retention or inversion of chirality;
(3) introduce an additional stereogenic centre into a chiral molecule to produce diastereomeric metabolites;
(4) convert a pair of enantiomers into a common metabolite by removal of a stereogenic centre; or
(5) convert one enantiomeric form into the other.