Editing Soman (section)

==Structure and reactivity==
[[File:Soman Structural Formulae Stereoisomers V.1.svg|left|thumb|260x260px|The stereoisomers of soman.]]
Soman (C(±)P(±)-soman) has four [[Stereoisomerism|stereoisomers]], each with a different toxicity, though largely similar. The stereoisomers are C(+)P(+)-soman, C(+)P(−)-soman C(−)P(−)-soman and C(−)P(+)-soman.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1998-07-01|title=Inhalation Toxicokinetics of Soman Stereoisomers in the Atropinized Guinea Pig with Nose-Only Exposure to Soman Vapor|journal=Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology|language=en|volume=151|issue=1|pages=79–87|doi=10.1006/taap.1998.8451|pmid=9705889|issn=0041-008X|last1=Langenberg|first1=Jan P.|last2=Spruit|first2=Helma E.T.|last3=Van Der Wiel|first3=Herma J.|last4=Trap|first4=Henk C.|last5=Helmich|first5=Rob B.|last6=Bergers|first6=Wim W.A.|last7=Van Helden|first7=Herman P.M.|last8=Benschop|first8=Hendrik P.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=1988-08-01|title=Hydrolysis of the four stereoisomers of soman catalyzed by liver homogenate and plasma from rat, guinea pig and marmoset, and by human plasma|journal=Biochemical Pharmacology|language=en|volume=37|issue=15|pages=2939–2948|doi=10.1016/0006-2952(88)90279-1|issn=0006-2952|last1=De Jong|first1=Leo P.A.|last2=Van Dijk|first2=Corry|last3=Benschop|first3=Hendrik P.|pmid=3395367}}</ref>

Soman has a phosphonyl group with a fluoride and a (large) hydrocarbon covalently bound to it. The structure is thus similar to that of sarin, which has only a smaller hydrocarbon group attached (isopropyl). Because of the similarity between the chemical structures, the reactivity of the two compounds is almost the same. Soman and sarin will both react using the phospho oxygen group, which can bind to amino acids like serine.