DEXTROROTATORY ISOMER Meaning and
Definition
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A dextrorotatory isomer refers to a specific type of stereoisomer that exhibits a characteristic clockwise rotation of plane-polarized light. It belongs to a broader category known as optical isomers or enantiomers. These isomers possess identical chemical compositions and connectivity but differ in the way they interact with polarized light due to their three-dimensional arrangement.
The term dextrorotatory comes from the Latin word "dexter," meaning right, and "rotare," meaning to rotate. It signifies the direction of the rotation observed when polarized light passes through a sample containing this isomer. The rotation occurs because dextrorotatory isomers are not superimposable on their mirror images. This lack of superimposability is a result of having a chiral center, a carbon atom bonded to four different atoms or groups.
Dextrorotatory isomers are denoted by a plus (+) sign when describing their specific rotation value. Their enantiomer, or mirror image, is called levorotatory because it exhibits a counterclockwise rotation (-) signal.
Dextrorotatory isomers are particularly significant in fields such as organic chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and biology. They can have different biological activity, pharmacokinetics, and physiological effects. Therefore, the separation and characterization of dextrorotatory isomers are crucial for studying and developing different drugs, as well as understanding specific biological processes that involve enantiomeric interactions.
Common Misspellings for DEXTROROTATORY ISOMER
- sextrorotatory isomer
- xextrorotatory isomer
- cextrorotatory isomer
- fextrorotatory isomer
- rextrorotatory isomer
- eextrorotatory isomer
- dwxtrorotatory isomer
- dsxtrorotatory isomer
- ddxtrorotatory isomer
- drxtrorotatory isomer
- d4xtrorotatory isomer
- d3xtrorotatory isomer
- deztrorotatory isomer
- dectrorotatory isomer
- dedtrorotatory isomer
- destrorotatory isomer
- dexrrorotatory isomer
- dexfrorotatory isomer
- dexgrorotatory isomer
- dexyrorotatory isomer
Etymology of DEXTROROTATORY ISOMER
The word "dextrorotatory" is derived from Latin roots.
- "Dextro" comes from the Latin word "dexter", meaning "right" or "on the right side".
- "Rotatory" is derived from the Latin word "rota", meaning "wheel" or "turn".
"Isomer" refers to a compound that has the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements.
Combining these elements, "dextrorotatory isomer" refers to an isomer that rotates plane-polarized light in a clockwise direction to the right.
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