Summary Unit 3.3.7 - Optical isomerism (A-level only)
6 views 0 purchase
Course
Unit 3.3.7 - Optical isomerism
Institution
AQA
Detailed summary of the AQA A level chemistry topic, optical isomerism according to the specification. Describes the definition of optical isomers, racemates and finding the chiral centre.
optical isomerism
spec
Optical isomerism is a form of stereoisomerism and occurs
as a result of chirality in molecules, limited to molecules
with a single chiral centre.
An asymmetric carbon atom is chiral and gives rise to
optical isomers (enantiomers), which exist as non superimposable mirror images
and differ in their effect on the plane
polarised light.
A mixture of equal amounts of enantiomers is called a
racemic mixture (racemate).
Students should be able to:
• draw the structural formulas and displayed formulas of
enantiomers
• understand how racemic mixtures (racemates) are
formed and why they are optically inactive
optical isomerism is a form of stereoisomers - they have the same structural formula
but different arrangements of atoms in space
optical isomers are mirror images of each other and have a chiral carbon atom
a chiral molecule has four different groups attached to a carbon atom - can be
arranged in 2 different ways which form two different molecules - called
enantiomers
these enantiomers are mirror images of each other and are non-superimposable. no
matter which way you turn them they will not overlap.
optical isomerism 1
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller shyamalibuddhdev. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $9.70. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.