What is an Optical Isomer? How can you tell if a structure is an optical isomer?

Question by TrueNETSfan2010: What is an Optical Isomer? How can you tell if a structure is an optical isomer? I want to know what an optical isomer is. I can't seem to find much information detailing exactly what it is. Also, how can you tell if something is an optical isomer? If you are so inclined to... Can you identify whether or not the following can produce an optical isomer? Peroxyacetic Acid - CH3CO2OH Ethanol - CH3CH2OH Fructose - C6H12O6 Thanks for you help in advance, it is much appreciated. Best answer:

Answer by Raman P
If a compound contains a C atom that is attached to 4 different atoms or groups, then it will be 'optically active' & have optical isomers. The simplest example is lactic acid- CH3- CH(OH)CO2H- the 4 groups /atoms make it have a laevo rotatory, & dextro rotatory isomers, which are mirror images - identical, but not super imposable, & hence asymmetric .More about this can be had from a good organic chemistry text. Coming to the compds: peroxyacetic acid & ethanol are not optically active . Fructose is a keto hexose : a sugar containing six C atoms , & a ketone group. It has five asymmetric C atoms, & hence can have 2*5 optical isomers[ plus several other aldohexose isomers like glucose. Nature is symmetrically asymmetric, in a sense . that is why we have the different DNA/RNA combinations ,......

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