Why Some Molecules Have Evil Twins
A tiny change in a molecule's geometry completely changes its effects on the human body. How We Made This Video (Ever & David Talk About Drugs): https://youtu.be/tefxgYP0BVM March for Science...
==========
This is the chemical formula for the active ingredient in a common, over-the-counter nasal decongestant. And this is the chemical formula for an extremely dangerous street drug. They have the same boiling point, the same molecular mass, and are made up of the exact same elements, in almost the exact same structure. These two chemicals are mirror images known as enantiomers. They’re sort of like your left and right hands - if your right hand was evil. And for the same reason your right hand only fits into a right-handed glove and your left hand only fits into a left-handed glove, each enantiomer fits only into its corresponding receptor. When the receptors for the nasal spray molecules are activated, they send out a neurotransmission that helps open the...
==========
This is the chemical formula for the active ingredient in a common, over-the-counter nasal decongestant. And this is the chemical formula for an extremely dangerous street drug. They have the same boiling point, the same molecular mass, and are made up of the exact same elements, in almost the exact same structure. These two chemicals are mirror images known as enantiomers. They’re sort of like your left and right hands - if your right hand was evil. And for the same reason your right hand only fits into a right-handed glove and your left hand only fits into a left-handed glove, each enantiomer fits only into its corresponding receptor. When the receptors for the nasal spray molecules are activated, they send out a neurotransmission that helps open the...
