The determination of absolute structure. II. Absolute configurations from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre files for 1982

A survey of 102 structures flagged with 'absolute configuration' in the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre files for 1982 reveals many unsatisfactory features in the original publications. These are associated with data collection (lack of Friedel opposites and of absorption corrections), misinterpretation of the term 'absolute configuration' (claimed for achiral molecules and space groups), methods used to determine absolute configuration (over-optimistic interpretation of discriminatory tests) and presentation of results (little experimental detail, no prominent statement that an absolute configuration was assigned, no clear description of the methods used). Some confusion arises because of unintentional flagging of absolute configurations determined by solely chemical means.