What is an optical isomer?
Optical isomers are a form of stereoisomers which are chemical species with the same structural formula, but have a different arrangement of atoms in 3-dimensional space. Optical isomers are characterised by being non-superimposable mirror images of one another and are commonly seen in organic structures with chiral carbons. They were named optical isomers since scientists first distinguished between them by the way they rotate the plane of polarised light in different directions.
TD
Related Chemistry A Level answers
All answers ▸What is meant by the term amphoteric? and give an example of a reaction using NaOH that could be used to distinguish between a solution of amphoteric AlCl3 and non-amphoteric MgCl2.
When propanal is reacted with potassium cyanide under weakly acidic conditions the resulting mixture does not rotate plane polarised light. Explain this observation.
Why is phenol more reactive than benzene?
Give the IUPAC name for the following molecule and draw its displayed formula: CH3(CH2)3COOH