Optical isomers are molecules that are

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Optical isomers are molecules that are

Optical isomers are molecules that are mirror images of each other. This happens when a molecule is chiral, meaning it lacks an internal plane of symmetry and cannot be superimposed on its own mirror image. The two forms, called enantiomers, have the same connectivity but differ in the spatial arrangement around a chiral center, so they are not identical in three-dimensional shape. They often have nearly identical physical properties, yet rotate plane-polarized light in opposite directions, which is the hallmark of optical activity. If a molecule is achiral, its mirror image is identical to itself and would not be an optical isomer. Thus, the defining idea is that optical isomers are non-superimposable mirror images.

Optical isomers are molecules that are mirror images of each other. This happens when a molecule is chiral, meaning it lacks an internal plane of symmetry and cannot be superimposed on its own mirror image. The two forms, called enantiomers, have the same connectivity but differ in the spatial arrangement around a chiral center, so they are not identical in three-dimensional shape. They often have nearly identical physical properties, yet rotate plane-polarized light in opposite directions, which is the hallmark of optical activity. If a molecule is achiral, its mirror image is identical to itself and would not be an optical isomer. Thus, the defining idea is that optical isomers are non-superimposable mirror images.

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