How Do You Calculate Enantiomer Percentages from Enantiomeric Excess?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the percentages of enantiomers in a mixture based on a given enantiomeric excess (ee). It explores the theoretical understanding of enantiomeric excess and its implications for the composition of chiral mixtures.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation, Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks how to calculate the percentages of each enantiomer given an enantiomeric excess of 84%.
  • Another participant prompts for the definition or equation related to enantiomeric excess, suggesting a need for foundational understanding.
  • A participant discusses the relationship between enantiomer ratios and enantiomeric excess, providing examples of how different mixtures would yield different excess values.
  • A later reply calculates the major and minor isomer percentages based on the provided enantiomeric excess, suggesting that the major isomer percentage is 92% and the minor is 8%.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is no consensus on the calculation method, as participants present different approaches and interpretations of enantiomeric excess. The discussion includes both exploratory reasoning and specific calculations without resolving the various methods proposed.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not clarify the assumptions behind the calculations or the definitions used for enantiomeric excess, leaving some mathematical steps and reasoning potentially unresolved.

uorganic
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If a natural product was isolated and was found to have an enantiomeric excess (ee) of 84% what would be the percentages of each enatiomer in the mixture?
 
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Well, do you know the equation (or definition) of enantiomeric excess?
 
uorganic said:
If a natural product was isolated and was found to have an enantiomeric excess (ee) of 84% what would be the percentages of each enatiomer in the mixture?

think about it...

how many possible enantiomers are there. hint: the number of possible enantiomers is the same for any compound.

so...let's say that the enantiomers were 50:50 in a mixture. then, the excess would be 0. if it were a 40:60 mixture, then one of the enantiomers would be in 10% excess. notice that (60 - (100 - 60) ) / 2 = 10

see the pattern here?
 
Enantiomeric excess (ee) of 84%

Then major isomer % = (100+84)/2 = 92 %

%minor isomer = 100-92 = 8%

regards
kandasani
 

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