Answer to Question #97977 in General Chemistry for Azhar

Question

Explain necessary and sufficient condition for optical activity co2

Answer 1

CO₂ isoptically inactive. $O=C=O$

(a)necessary condition for optical activity

Carbon Atom should be chiral.

In case of CO₂ ,no chiral carbon is present.

(b)sufficient condition for optically activity

Mirror image is non superimposable.

In case of CO₂ , mirror is superimposable.

So,CO₂ is optically inactive.