Question

Define the following:
(i) Enantiomers
(ii) Racemic mixture

Hint:

Enantiomers can be separated by chiral chromatography, and racemic mixtures can be resolved into their constituent enantiomers using techniques like recrystallization or enzymatic methods.

Answer 1

(i) Enantiomers: Enantiomers are chiral molecules that are non-superimposable mirror images. They share identical physical properties but exhibit different interactions with plane-polarized light and other chiral substances. An example is the right and left-handed forms of a chiral molecule.

(ii) Racemic mixture: A racemic mixture comprises equal proportions of a chiral compound's two enantiomers. In such a mixture, the optical activities of the enantiomers neutralize one another, leading to zero net optical rotation.