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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: nemzy on January 28, 2005, 02:24:05 AM

Title: optically active molecules
Post by: nemzy on January 28, 2005, 02:24:05 AM

how do we know if a molecule is optically active?

does it have to do something about R,S configurations?  I have no idea, what it is...and how to know whether a molecule is optically active or not

thanks

Title: Re:optically active molecules
Post by: Mitch on January 28, 2005, 02:30:11 AM

There is a real simple way. 1.) Draw the mirror image of the molecule. If the mirror image can be made to overlap the original molecule then it is not optically active.

Title: Re:optically active molecules
Post by: dexangeles on January 28, 2005, 04:33:14 PM

then in a mixture

1 configuration should be more (in excess of) than the other
if it is a racemic mixture (equal amounts of configuration) the mixture won't be optically active