How to identify a compound as chiral or achiral I read my book and learned everything about enantiomers, racemization, $\mathrm{S_N1}$ and $\mathrm{S_N2}$ reactions, but when I'm trying to identify molecules as chiral or achiral, I get confused.

Consider the two molecules below:

1.CH3-CH-OH
      |
      Br

2.CH3-CH-Br
      |
      Br


How can I tell if a compound is chiral?
Look for carbons with four different groups attached to identify potential chiral centers.

Draw your molecule with wedges and dashes and then draw a mirror image of the molecule. If the molecule in the mirror image is the same molecule, it is achiral. If they are different molecules, then it is chiral.

Here you're particularly interested in the C in the CH. However, take a look at the C in CH3. Why isn't it a chiral carbon?