Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Stereochemistry
Stereochemistry is the study of the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules and how this affects their chemical behavior. It is crucial for understanding isomers, particularly enantiomers and diastereomers, which differ in the orientation of their substituents around chiral centers. In the given question, the stereochemical configurations of the compounds are essential for determining their relationships.
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Chirality
Chirality refers to the property of a molecule that makes it non-superimposable on its mirror image, much like left and right hands. Chiral molecules typically have one or more chiral centers, which are carbon atoms bonded to four different substituents. The (2R,3S) and (2S,3R) configurations in the question indicate different chiral arrangements, leading to the formation of enantiomers.
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Enantiomers and Diastereomers
Enantiomers are pairs of chiral molecules that are mirror images of each other, while diastereomers are stereoisomers that are not mirror images. The relationship between (2R,3S)-2,3-dibromohexane and (2S,3R)-2,3-dibromohexane is that they are enantiomers, whereas the relationship between (2R,3S)-2,3-dibromohexane and (2R,3R)-2,3-dibromohexane is that they are diastereomers, as they differ in configuration at one chiral center but not the other.
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