5 Questions
Which term describes a 50:50 mixture of two enantiomers?
Racemic mixture
What happens when enantiomers are separated from a racemic mixture?
The mixture becomes resolved
What is the consequence of chirality in the drug Thalidomide?
It causes birth abnormalities
What is the effect of chirality on the rotation of plane-polarized light?
It causes the light to rotate in opposite directions
What is the term used to describe chiral compounds synthesized from achiral starting materials?
Racemic compounds
Study Notes
Racemic Mixtures
- A 50:50 mixture of two enantiomers is described as a racemic mixture.
Separation of Enantiomers
- When enantiomers are separated from a racemic mixture, they have identical physical properties, but they rotate plane-polarized light in opposite directions.
Thalidomide
- The consequence of chirality in the drug Thalidomide is that one enantiomer is therapeutic, while the other is toxic.
Optical Activity
- The effect of chirality on the rotation of plane-polarized light is that it rotates the plane of the light either clockwise (dextrorotatory) or counterclockwise (levorotatory).
Asymmetric Synthesis
- Chiral compounds synthesized from achiral starting materials are described as the product of asymmetric synthesis.
Test your knowledge on the concept of racemic mixtures and their resolution in organic chemistry with this quiz. Explore the principles behind enantiomers, optical activity, and the common laboratory experiment of resolving racemic mixtures.
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