Optical Isomerism Flashcards
What are isomers?
Compounds with the same molecular formula but a different arrangement of atoms in space
What are structural isomers?
Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formula
What are position isomers?
Isomers with the functional group in different positions
What are chain isomers?
Isomers with a different arrangement of the carbon skeleton
What are functional group isomers?
Isomers with different functional groups
What are stereoisomers?
Two or more compounds which have the same structural formula but different the atoms or bonds are arranged differently in 3D space
What are geometric isomers/E-Z isomerism?
Occur when adjacent carbon atoms in the molecule have at least two different groups attached to them and there is restricted rotation about the double bond between two adjacent carbon atoms
What is optical isomerism?
Occurs when the same molecule can exist as two non-superimposable mirror image forms
What is a chiral molecule?
A molecule that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image
What is a chiral centre?
An atom to which four different atoms or groups are bonded
What is an enantiomer?
One of a pair of non-superimposable mirror images
What does a polaroid filter do?
It only allows light in one plane to pass through it and absorbs all the other waves that arent in that plane
What is plane polarised light?
Light which has passed through a Polaroid filter and has vibrations only in one plane
How do optical isomers affect plane polarised light?
They can either rotate the light to the left or to the right
What does optically active mean?
A sample which rotates the plane of polarised light
