(chemistry) A form of isomerism in which atoms are arranged differently about a chiral centre (or centre of asymmetry). They exhibit optical activity, and in a molecule with a single chiral centre the two isomers (enantiomers) are mirror images of each other whereas in a molecule with multiple chiral centres the isomers (diastereoisomers) are not normally mirror images.
Related dictionary entries include diastereoisomer, diastereomer, cyclostereoisomerism, diastereoisomerism, diastereomorphism, stereoisomerization.
Relationships are shown only after the shared lexical validator accepts them. A suggestion is not automatically an exact replacement.