Term: chirality centre
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01060

Definition:
An atom holding a set of ligands in a spatial arrangement which is not superposable on its mirror image. A chirality centre is thus a generalized extension of the concept of the asymmetric carbon atom to central atoms of any element, for example N+abcd, Pabc as well as Cabcd.

Related Terms:
1) ligands (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03518).
2) chirality (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01058).
3) asymmetric carbon atom (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00479).

Source: PAC, 1996, 68, 2193. 'Basic terminology of stereochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2203 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122193)

Citation: 'chirality centre' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01060

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