Stereochemistry and stereoisomers

Meso structures, conclusions.

Morrison and Boyd § 4.18


Your conclusion from the previous page should be that structures A and B are not only mirror images, but also superimposable. They represent one and the same achiral compound, a meso structure.
Structures B and C are 'real' mirror images, and both diastereoisomers of A/B.
A B

Question:
In Morrison&Boyd the meso structure has the chlorines on the same side of the molecule, whereas in A/B they are on different sides. Give an explanation for this phenomenon. See the introduction on one the previous pages for a hint.


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