How do enantiomers differ in term of physical and chemical properties?
1 Answer
Feb 19, 2016
A pair of enantiomers, of optical isomers, have IDENTICAL physical and chemical properties in an achiral environment.
Explanation:
Enantiomers do have identical physical properties, and have identical chemical properties, given an achiral enviroment. Pure optical isomers will rotate plane polarized light in different directions.
Given an homochiral reagent (i.e. an optically active reagent, that we throw into the pot), the pair of enantiomers will have different chemistry with respect to the added reagent; this interaction is diastereomeric, not enantiomeric.