Question

Racemic mixture is a:

• A. mixture of enantiomers and distereomers
• B. $50:50$ solution of enantiomers
• C. mixture of enentiomers in any ratio
• D. mixture of distereomers

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

$50:50$ solution of enantiomers

A racemic mixture is one that has equal amounts of left- and right-handed enantiomers of a chiral molecule. The first known racemic mixture was racemic acid, which found to be a mixture of the two enantiomeric isomers of tartaric acid.
A racemic mixture is denoted by the prefix dl- (for sugars the prefix dl- may be used), indicating an equal (1:1) mixture of dextro and levo isomers. Also the prefix rac-(or racem-) or the symbols RS and SR are used.