Question

Is 2-hydroxypropanoic acid optically active?

Answer 1

Optical activity: Optical activity is the property of compound to rotate the plane of polarization of plane-polarized light.

1. Yes, 2-hydroxypropanoic acid is optically active.
2. it lies in two different optically active forms (dextrorotatory and laevorotatory).
3. Structure: CH₃CH₂CH₂C*H(OH)COOH, here the highlighted carbon (C*) is chiral carbon which leads to the chirality in the molecule.