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About mesotartaric acid which of the following statements is/are not correct/ a.it is optically inactive because it contains two assymetric c atoms in its molecule. b.it can be separated into two optically active isomers c.it cannot be separated into two optically active isomers d.it is optically inactive due to external compensation

About mesotartaric acid which of the following statements is/are not correct/


a.it is optically inactive because it contains two assymetric c atoms in its molecule.


b.it can be separated into two optically active isomers


c.it cannot be separated into two optically active isomers


d.it is optically inactive due to external compensation

Grade:12th Pass

2 Answers

Aman Bansal
592 Points
12 years ago

Dear Menka,

Tartaric acid has two asymmetrical carbon atoms and three chiral isomers; the dextro-, levo-, (optically active) and meso- forms (optically inactive). The d- and l-tartaric acids are said to be enantiomorphs (each molecule is asymmetrical and has the mirror image of the other). There are two asymmetrical carbon atoms in meso-tartaric acid, but the molecule is symmetrical and does not exhibit optical activity; the optical activity is internally compensated, the effect of one asymmetrical carbon atom balancing the effect of the other. A pair of optical isomers such as d-tartaric acid and meso-tartaric acid, which are not enantiomorphs, are called diastereoisomers

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Aman Bansal

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Aditi Bhatnagar
31 Points
12 years ago

Hi Menka

a,d are incorrect becoz inactivity  is due to internal compensation.

Further, c is incorrect becoz optically active forms can not be separated.

Hope that helps!

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