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Topic: Optically active molecules  (Read 3522 times)

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Offline plankk

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Optically active molecules
« on: July 27, 2009, 12:09:11 PM »
I have had a task to choose a molecules, which are optically active. According to the answer molecule (in attachment) has sterocenter and it is optically active. As far as I know the all subtituents should be different, and in that example we have two the same - methyl - susbtituents. So how could it be optically active?

Offline azmanam

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Re: Optically active molecules
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2009, 12:12:22 PM »
you're right, it's not.  In general, tetrasubstitued amines can be optically active if a) all four substituents are different and b) the amine cannot invert easily (i.e. the 4th substituent is usually not a proton)
Knowing why you got a question wrong is better than knowing that you got a question right.

Offline plankk

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Re: Optically active molecules
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2009, 03:56:27 PM »
Thanks a lot.

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