Editing Epimer (section)

== Examples ==
The stereoisomers β-<small>D</small>-[[glucopyranose]] and β-<small>D</small>-[[Mannose|mannopyranose]] are epimers because they differ only in the stereochemistry at the C-2 position. The hydroxy group in β-D-glucopyranose is equatorial (in the "plane" of the ring), while in β-D-mannopyranose the C-2 hydroxy group is [[Cyclohexane conformation#Chair conformation|axial]] (up from the "plane" of the ring). These two molecules are epimers but, because they are not mirror images of each other, are not [[enantiomer]]s. (Enantiomers have the same name, but differ in '''<small>D</small>''' and '''<small>L</small>''' classification.) They are also not sugar [[Anomer|anomers]], since it is not the [[anomeric carbon]] involved in the stereochemistry. Similarly, β-<small>D</small>-glucopyranose and β-<small>D</small>-[[Galactose|galactopyranose]] are epimers that differ at the C-4 position, with the former being equatorial and the latter being axial.
{| class="wikitable skin-invert-image" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|[[File:Beta-D-glucopyranose.svg|200px]]||[[File:Beta-D-mannopyranose.svg|200px]]
|- align="center"
|{{center|β-<small>D</small>-glucopyranose }}||
{{center|β-<small>D</small>-mannopyranose }}
|}


In the case that the difference is the -OH groups on C-1, the anomeric carbon, such as in the case of α-<small>D</small>-glucopyranose and β-<small>D</small>-glucopyranose, the molecules are both epimers and anomers (as indicated by the '''α''' and '''β''' designation).<ref>[http://www.biotopics.co.uk/as/glucose2.html Structure of the glucose molecule<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
{| class="wikitable skin-invert-image" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|[[Image:Alpha-D-glucopyranose-2D-skeletal.svg|220px]] || [[Image:Beta-D-glucopyranose-2D-skeletal.svg|220px]]
|- align="center"
|{{center|α-<small>D</small>-glucopyranose}} ||
{{center|β-<small>D</small>-glucopyranose}}
|}


Other closely related compounds are [[epi-inositol|''epi''-inositol]] and [[inositol]] and [[lipoxin]] and [[epilipoxin]].
{| class="wikitable skin-invert-image" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|[[File:Epi-inositol.svg|156px]] || [[File:Myo-inositol.svg|156px]] || [[File:Lipoxin B4.svg|200px]] || [[File:15-epi-lipoxin B4.svg|200px]]
|- align="center"
|{{center|''epi''-inositol}}
|{{center|Inositol}}  
|{{center|Lipoxin}}  
|{{center|Epilipoxin}}
|}