18 Oct Polarimeters – A Vital Tool…
Polarimeters – A Vital Tool for The Organic and Medicinal Chemist
The polarimeter is one of the most vital instruments used by the organic and medicinal chemist. It is an excellent tool for measuring the optical activity exhibited by either an organic or inorganic compound. The polarimeter measures the optical rotation of a plane of polarized light in the presence of optically active chiral molecules. Optically active compounds will rotate the light in a clockwise direction (levorotatory, denoted as “-“) or a counterclockwise direction (dextrorotatory, denoted as “+”).
The measurement of this rotation using a polarimeter can give valuable information about the concentration of a compound, the purity of a compound and the molecular structure of a compound. It can also indicate the process stage of a reaction and conversion rates. It has the advantage over other methods in that it is a non-destructive method, low cost and is able to easily differentiate enantiomers.
A Krüss Optronic offers several models of polarimeters to meet the needs of the organic and medicinal chemist.
P8000 Polarimeter w/Sampler
P1000-LED Polarimeter
P3000 Polarimeter