Answer to Question #178769 in Organic Chemistry for Sam

Question

Examine the importance and impact of isomerism in industry – research case studies in order to consider the formation of different isomers during manufacture,

• Thalidomide babies

• One of the isomers is a treatment for Parkinson’s disease

• Spearmint

• how their presence may influence the industrial process, the differences in properties that they might have, and the possible consequences of ignoring the presence of isomerism.

• Yield/cost/ health & safety

• 50:50 ratio (racemic mixture )- 

• D-isomer:L-isomer 

• Stereoisomers ( +/- = rotate the polarised light to the right +) or to the left (-)

• Stereospecificity 

• D (+) – dextrorotatory isomer

• L (-) – Laevorotatory isomer

Answer 1

A good example of what can happen if isomerism ignored is thalidomide tragedy. There are 2 isomers formed during the production of this drug, and noone was thinking to separate them during that times. One isomer had sedadtive effect, while the second was causing phocomelia. As a result more than 10,000 children where born with deformities. This story shows how important to remember about isomerism during manufacturing process.

Talking about economics: it is much cheaper to produce racemic mixture, than make a stereospecific synthesys of one isomer or separate the racemic mixture. On the other hand, sometimes, as it was shown above, it is absolutely nessesary and unavoidable.