Definition of Helicity

The chirality of a helical, propeller or screw-shaped molecular entity . A right-handed helix is described as P (or plus), a left-handed one as M (or minus).

(M)-hexahelicene

The application of this system to the description of conformations considers the torsion angle between two specified (fiducial) groups that are attached to the atoms linked by that bond. The sign of the smaller torsion angle between the fiducial groups defines the chirality sense of the helix. Rules for the selection of fiducial groups according to priority are given by R. S. Cahn, C.K. Ingold and V. Prelog, Angew. Chem. 78, 413-447 (1966), Angew. Chem. Internat. Ed. Eng. 5, 385-415, 511 (1966). See also axial chirality; (delta), (lambda).