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In chemistry, a racemic mixture or racemate (/ r eɪ ˈ s iː m eɪ t, r ə-, ˈ r æ s ɪ m eɪ t / [1]) is one that has equal amounts of left- and right-handed enantiomers of a chiral molecule or salt. Racemic mixtures are rare in nature, but many compounds are produced industrially as racemates.
In chemistry, racemization is a conversion, by heat or by chemical reaction, of an optically active compound into a racemic (optically inactive) form. This creates a 1:1 molar ratio of enantiomers and is referred to as a racemic mixture (i.e. contain equal amount of (+) and (−) forms).
Enantiomeric ratios and purity is an important factor in clinical assessments. Racemic mixtures are those that contain equimolar amounts of both enantiomers of a compound. Racemate and single enantiomer actions differ in most cases.
Racemic drugs are not drug combinations in the accepted sense of two or more co-formulated therapeutic agents, but combinations of isomeric substances whose pharmacological activity may reside predominantly in one specific enantiomeric form. In case of stereoselectivity in action only one of the components in the racemic mixture is truly active.
Chiral resolution, or enantiomeric resolution, [1] is a process in stereochemistry for the separation of racemic mixture into their enantiomers. [2] It is an important tool in the production of optically active compounds, including drugs. [3] Another term with the same meaning is optical resolution.
In organic chemistry, kinetic resolution is a means of differentiating two enantiomers in a racemic mixture.In kinetic resolution, two enantiomers react with different reaction rates in a chemical reaction with a chiral catalyst or reagent, resulting in an enantioenriched sample of the less reactive enantiomer. [1]
A non-racemic mixture of two enantiomers will have a net optical rotation. It is possible to determine the specific rotation of the mixture and, with knowledge of the specific rotation of the pure enantiomer, the optical purity can be determined. [2] optical purity (%) = [α] obs / [α] max × 100
Because pairs of enantiomers have, for all intents and purposes, the same Gibbs free energy, thermodynamic control will produce a racemic mixture by necessity. Thus, any catalytic reaction that provides product with nonzero enantiomeric excess is under at least partial kinetic control.