Question

Which of the following acids does not exhibit optical isomerism ?

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> AIPMT 2012

• A. Lactic acid
• B. Tartaric acid
• C. Maleic acid
• D. $\alpha$ - Amino acids

Answer 1

The correct option is C Maleic acid

Maleic acid does not exhibit optical isomerism as it lacks chiral Carbon. The chiral carbon is a carbon atom in which all the valencies of the carbon atom is satisfied by the four different species.
Tartaric acid , lactic acid and $\alpha$ - amino acids exhibit optical isomerism as they contain chiral carbon.