Van't Hoff's Compounds

From WikidChem

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Slide 12

Van't Hoff found that these six compounds, and most of their derivatives, were optically active and rotated light.

Notable exceptions to this were the isomers derivatives of Malic Acid (Fumeric acid, Maleic acid, and Succinic acid), which were not found to be optically active. The first two derivatives were created by removing a water molecule from Malic Acid, while the last compound was created by the removal of an oxygen from the OH attached to a central carbon.

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Slide 13

Van't Hoff did very little actual experimentation. He worked mostly in theory and the overarching principles behind experimental evidence. Van't Hoff theorized, because, as we learn from his obituary, he was glad that there were other people doing the lab work for him.

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Slide 14

Van't Hoff theorized noted that every optically active compound has a C that is attached to four different things functional groups (they are asymmetric) and that the optically inactive compounds did not have any asymmetric carbons. The derivatives of Malic Acid all have carbons which are bound to at least two similar things functional groups (in the case of Fumaric and Maleic Acid, the C is bonded twice to a C (through a double bond)).