Publisher's Synopsis
The flower of the passion fruit, Passiflora edulis, showing 3–fold and 5–fold symmetry in its styles and stamen, respectively. Symmetry and the lack of symmetry are important features of organic molecules. For example, a fascinating distinction between the yellow and purple passion fruit was found when studying compounds occurring within the species. 2–Heptanol, for example, is found in both the yellow and purple passion fruit but, whereas the R enantiomer predominates in purple fruit (92%), the S enantiomer predominates in yellow fruit (82%). Just as the passion fruit and its′ flower illustrate important concepts at work in organic chemistry, this text enables students to make the connections between organic chemistry in the classroom and the world around them.
