Chapter 25: Nomenclature and Isomerism

Question 1

What is Optical Isomerism

Answer 1

• Optical Isomerism is a type of stereoisomerism - same structural formula but atoms arranged differently in space
• They have a chiral carbon - where a carbon has 4 different groups attached

Question 2

What are enantiomers

Answer 2

• Arranging the groups in different ways around chiral carbon.
• Are mirror images and non-superimposed
• Are named L- ____ and D-______
  *

Question 3

How does light become plane polarised light

Answer 3

• Normal light vibrates in all directions and if passed through polarising filter it becomes plane polarised.
• Light vibrates in the same plane

Question 4

What happens if you pass plane polarised light through an optically active mixture

Answer 4

• They will rotate the plane of polarised light in equal and opposite directions which cancels out

Question 5

What is a racemic mixture

Answer 5

• Equal mixture of enantiomers/optical isomers