STEREOISOMERISM - OPTICAL ISOMERISM
Optical isomerism is a form of stereoisomerism. This page explains what stereoisomers
are and how you recognise the possibility of optical isomers in a molecule.
What is stereoisomerism?
What are isomers?
Isomers are molecules that have the same molecular formula, but have a different
arrangement of the atoms in space. That excludes any different arrangements which are
simply due to the molecule rotating as a whole, or rotating about particular bonds.
Where the atoms making up the various isomers are joined up in a different order, this is
known as structural isomerism. Structural isomerism is not a form of stereoisomerism,
and is dealt with on a separate page.
What are stereoisomers?
In stereoisomerism, the atoms making up the isomers are joined up in the same order, but
still manage to have a different spatial arrangement. Optical isomerism is one form of
stereoisomerism.
Optical isomerism
Why optical isomers?
Optical isomers are named like this because of their effect on plane polarised light.
Simple substances which show optical isomerism exist as two isomers known as
enantiomers.
Optical isomerism is a form of stereoisomerism. This page explains what stereoisomers
are and how you recognise the possibility of optical isomers in a molecule.
What is stereoisomerism?
What are isomers?
Isomers are molecules that have the same molecular formula, but have a different
arrangement of the atoms in space. That excludes any different arrangements which are
simply due to the molecule rotating as a whole, or rotating about particular bonds.
Where the atoms making up the various isomers are joined up in a different order, this is
known as structural isomerism. Structural isomerism is not a form of stereoisomerism,
and is dealt with on a separate page.
What are stereoisomers?
In stereoisomerism, the atoms making up the isomers are joined up in the same order, but
still manage to have a different spatial arrangement. Optical isomerism is one form of
stereoisomerism.
Optical isomerism
Why optical isomers?
Optical isomers are named like this because of their effect on plane polarised light.
Simple substances which show optical isomerism exist as two isomers known as
enantiomers.
