Tuesday, August 26, 2008

optical isomers... 
A molecule with 1 chiral centre will give rise to a pair of optical isomers. The pair are mirror images of each other.












Above: a pair of optical isomers.. the central black ball represents the chiral centre*
the 2 structures are mirror images of each other....














Despite having the same structural formula (same connectivity of atoms), they are non-superimposable i.e. matching black w black, white with white.. the blue and red don't coincide. These 2 molecules are different!

we call them a pair of optical isomers or also known as ENANTIOMERS

We say these molecules are optically active.

And how do optically active molecules (those with chiral centres) rotate the plane of plane polarised light? What is plane polarised light? see link below.
quite fun to click around... BETTER THAN DOTA!!!!!

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