Louis Pasteur observed that crystals of certain compounds exist in the form of mirror images, and solutions of these crystals showed equal-magnitude but opposite-direction optical rotation, leading to the concept of molecular asymmetry.
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Louis Pasteur observed that crystals of certain compounds exist in the form of mirror images, and solutions of these crystals showed equal-magnitude but opposite-direction optical rotation, leading to the concept of molecular asymmetry.
Louis Pasteur’s observation of optical isomerism in tartaric acid crystals laid the foundation for modern stereochemistry. In 1848, Pasteur noticed that certain crystals of tartaric acid existed in two non-superimposable mirror-image forms. He separated these crystals into distinct enantiomers, establishing the concept of molecular chirality. This groundbreaking discovery challenged the prevailing idea of molecules as symmetrical entities. Pasteur’s work demonstrated that molecules could have distinct three-dimensional arrangements, leading to the field of stereochemistry, which explores the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules. His observations paved the way for understanding the significance of molecular asymmetry and enantiomeric relationships.