JCE Software Chemistry Comes Alive!
Polarized Light and Organic Molecules - Carvone Isomers

Samples of chiral d- and l-carvone are shown to rotate the plane of polarized light in opposite directions.

  Click a thumbnail picture below to view a larger version. View movie.
View Movie
 

Narrative
Enantiomers rotate plane polarized light in opposite directions. Samples of plus and minus carvone show opposite rotations of polarized light. Plus carvone is the odor principle of caraway and minus carvone is the odor principle of spearmint.

Discussion
Polarized light can determine whether a compound is chiral. Samples of chiral d- and l-carvone are shown to rotate the plane of polarized light in opposite directions. R (-) Carvone is the odor principle of spearmint and its enantiomer, S (+) carvone is the odor principle of caraway.