Tetravalent Group 14 compounds, theoretical

The way in which compounds with asymmetric carbon atoms are racemized is more complicated. One possibility would be for a tetrahedral chiral carbon attached to four groups to become planar and achiral without breaking any bonds. Theoretical calculations indicate that this is not a likely process for chiral tetravalent carbon but, as we will see, it does occur with chiral carbon and other chiral atoms that are attached to three groups ... 

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