Optical Isomerism Flashcards
What does stereoisomer means
Same structural from but different arrangements of atoms in space
What is a chiral molecule
A molecule that has 4 different groups attached to the carbon
What are enantiomers
Two compounds that are optical isomers of each other
Why are enantiomers non superimposable
No matter which way you turn them they won’t overlap
How do you detect enantiomers
We use plane polarised light
Optically active isomers will rotate plane polarised lights
Optically active compounds will rotate the light clockwise and anti-clockwise by the same amount of degrees
What is a racemic mixture
Equal amount of each enantiomers
Why do racemates not rotate in plane polarised light
They rotate the same degree in opposite directions so they cancel out
Can c=c and c=o make racemic products
Yes, as they have planar profiles. The nucleotides can attack from the top or bottom, so there is an even chance
