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Question
Why carbohydrates are generally optically active?
Solution
Carbohydrates are generally optically active because they have one or more chiral carbon atoms in their molecules. For example, Glucose has four chiral carbons and therefore it is optically active.
\[\begin{array}{cc}
\ce{CHO}\\
|\phantom{....}\\
\ce{^*CHOH}\\
|\phantom{....}\\
\ce{^*CHOH}\\
|\phantom{....}\\
\ce{^*CHOH}\\
|\phantom{....}\\
\ce{^*CHOH}\\
|\phantom{....}\\
\phantom{...}\ce{CH2OH}
\end{array}\]
\[\ce{^*C}\] - Chiral carbon
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Why carbohydrates are generally optically active?
Why carbohydrates are generally optically active.
