Racemisation refers to the process of converting an optically active (d- or /-) compound into the racemic modification. This article focuses on stereochemical aspects of nucleophilic substitution reaction. Here, the terms will be explained first and then their relationship with haloalkanes will be explained. Table of Contents. Racemisation

In organic chemistry, some compounds exhibit optical activity; Optical activity is the ability of a compound to rotate the plane of polarized light; Haloalkanes and haloarenes are two classes of compounds that can show optical activity; We will explore these compounds and their optical properties in this lecture; Slide 2: Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

The invention can be applied for industrial production of optically active compounds, particularly haloalkanes, haloalcohols, alcohols, halopolyols, polyols, hydroxyketones and...

SN2 reactions of optically active halides are accompanied by inversion of configuration. This is because the attack of nucleophlle occurs from a direction opposite to the one from where the halogen atom leaves.

(i) Optical activity: Plane of plane polarised light produced by passing ordinary light through Nicol prism is rotated when it is passed through the solutions of certain compounds. Such compounds are called optically active compounds. The angle by which the plane polarised light is rotated is measured by an instrument called polarimeter.