VII.—The optical rotatory power of derivatives of succinic acid in aqueous solutions of inorganic salts. Part I

1914 ◽  
Vol 105 (0) ◽  
pp. 49-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
George William Clough

In the whole range of organic reactions there is no group which is better adapted for a study of the mechanism of chemical change than that in which changes of structure are accompanied by changes of optical rotatory power, giving rise to the phenomenon which is now generally known as “mutarotation.'' Thus, apart altogether from the special interest which attaches to the facile changes which give rise to this phenomenon, the experimental conditions are particularly well adapted for making critical observations, in the first place, because the progress of the change can be followed with ease and accuracy by polarimetric observations, and in the second place, because the conditions under which the change takes place are exceptionally favourable for work under “clean” conditions. Thus, the solutions under examination need not be contaminated by contact with electrodes, or other measuring instruments, or even by the introduction of pipettes, but can be left enclosed in a polarimeter-tube at constant temperature from the beginning to the end of the experiment. Up to the present, experiments of this character have been made mainly with two groups of compounds, namely, (i) the reducing sugars, (ii) nitro-derivatives and α-diketonic derivatives of camphor; but Wide extensions in other directions may be looked for in the future. The mutarotation of freshly prepared solutions of the reducing sugars has been known for about 80 years, but it is only recently that the underlying occurs when the lævorotatory intro-compound is converted into its dextrorotatory salts.


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