Optical isomerism in spite of plane of symmetry ....?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the optical isomerism of an octahedral coordination complex that possesses a plane of symmetry yet remains optically active. Participants clarify that despite the presence of a plane of symmetry, the complex's mirror image is non-superimposable, indicating its optical activity. A key insight is that rotating the mirror image 90° clockwise about the vertical axis allows for superposition with the original compound, highlighting the nuances of stereochemistry in coordination complexes.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of octahedral coordination complexes
  • Knowledge of optical isomerism and chirality
  • Familiarity with stereochemical concepts and symmetry operations
  • Basic principles of molecular geometry
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the principles of chirality in coordination compounds
  • Explore symmetry operations in molecular structures
  • Learn about the implications of optical activity in chemical compounds
  • Investigate the role of molecular geometry in stereochemistry
USEFUL FOR

Chemistry students, organic chemists, and researchers in stereochemistry who seek to deepen their understanding of optical isomerism and the behavior of coordination complexes.

Vishesh Jain
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Homework Statement
i'm having a complex which has plane of symmetry but still seems optically active
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please see the figure and description
1570149121666.png

Shown above is an octahedral coordination complex and it's mirror image. The complex has a plane of symmetry (shown in the left diagram, a diagonal plane passing through bottom left and top right corner, perpendicular to the square plane) ... but still it's mirror image is non-superimposable ... i.e it is an optically active compound .. how is it possible or where is my mistake ?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If you rotate the mirror image 90° clockwise about the vertical axis, you can superpose it with the original compound.
 
Oh yea .. thanks :-) !
 

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