Talk:Absolute configuration

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You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Polish. Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Polish article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 1,455 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Polish Wikipedia article at [[:pl:Konfiguracja absolutna]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template {{Translated|pl|Konfiguracja absolutna}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

The pictures are COMPLETELY INCORRECT: all four bonds are drawn as if they were directed toward the viewer, also the R and S molecules do not seem to be mirror images of each other. -- Leocat 12:29, 5 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

the image originates from the Polish Wiki and seemed like a nice one. Should be replaced. V8rik 20:57, 6 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]

They are not incorrect images as far as being demonstrations of stereo chemistry, "absolute" chemistry I have no idea, mostly because I do not take seriously any science topic if it is not first published in a reputable academic journal. What the image fails to explain is that functionality also plays a part, for instance, the reason for a human's right and left hands being a good example of non-super-imposable mirror image, is due to the function of bending your fingers. If your fingers didn't bend or didn't have finger nails on one side only, your hands would be super-imposable. If you question is serious Leocat, the image is correct, it is the entire topic that may be bunkDirtclustit (talk) 10:11, 10 February 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I propose that there should be a separate article for "Relative configuration". Somerandomuser (talk) 20:07, 22 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

What would it contain? Is it a discrete enough topic with enough to say to merit its own article? DMacks (talk) 21:50, 22 April 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The absolute configuration section specifies that "If the center is oriented so that the lowest-priority of the four is pointed away from a viewer, the viewer will then see two possibilities: If the priority of the remaining three substituents decreases in clockwise direction, it is labeled R (for Rectus, Latin for right)"

This is inaccurate, as the linked Wikitionary page defines rectus as straight, not right. I was told during my education that the rectus-right definition was used by Robert Sidney Cahn as an excuse to use his own initials, although I cannot find a source to back that up. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.20.224.78 (talk) 22:54, 19 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Well, it means "right" in the sense of "not wrong" ;) RedOak350 (talk) 01:30, 13 October 2020 (UTC)[reply]