2006-09-21 05:28:56 · 5 answers · asked by Ammu 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
A chiral compound is one that has "handedness" i.e. one version of the compound is like the right hand and the other like the left. They have the same chemical formula and are mirror images of each other. To be chirally pure would mean that they were all either left or right handed as it were. i.e. dextro or levo rotary in the chemist's jargon with regard to the relative positions of the atoms attached or +/- with regard to interaction with the polarized light used to detect chirality.
From wikepedia - also see the description there!:
A molecule is chiral when it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image (see diagram) with the two mirror image forms referred to as enantiomers. A mixture of equal amounts of the two enantiomers is said to be a racemic mixture.
Hope that helps.
2006-09-21 05:39:34 · answer #1 · answered by The Mog 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure that you have encountered structural isomers- molecules which have the same molecular formula but the atoms are arranged differently making a different molecular structure-for example diamond and graphite are isomers of carbon.
Well another type of isomer exists:geometric isomers. These isomers have the same molecular structure, but their atoms are arranged differently in space. Your two hands behave in this manner. Whilst your fingers are arranged in the same manner, you can not overlap your left hand with your right hand-they are mirror images of one another.
If you look at the molecule bromochlorofluoromethane, it has no structural isomers but 2 geometric isomers (see link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chiral.jpeg ). By looking at these two enantiomers you can see that you can not over lap these two molecules in the way you could overlap 2 molecules of methane.
A chirally pure mixture contains molecules of only one type of enantiomer- like having a mixture full of only right hands.
Mixtures that are not chirally pure are described as racmix.
2006-09-21 13:05:46 · answer #2 · answered by theBoyLakin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some chemical compounds are optically active, or chiral. They exist as left handed and right handed varieties. A racemic mixture consists of both isomers. A chiraly pure compound would consist of one only.
2006-09-21 12:36:22 · answer #3 · answered by christopher N 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
check this out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/chirality...
2006-09-23 07:21:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
only have one enantiomer
2006-09-21 12:38:04 · answer #5 · answered by shiara_blade 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋