Optical Isomerism
- Optical isomers/enantiomers are species which are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. One isomer rotates plane-polarise light clockwise, and the other rotates it anticlockwise
- Optical isomerism is a form of stereoisomerism and occurs as a result of chirality in molecules
- A chiral centre is a carbon atom with 4 different groups attached (it is asymmetric).
- All amino acids except glycine have a chiral centre
- A 50:50 mix of the enantiomers (a racemic mixture) will have no overall effect on plane-polarised light as the effects from the two enantiomers cancel out
- Racemic mixtures are formed when two achiral molecules react
- Racemic mixtures are also formed in reactions involving double bonds
