Question

Help me answer these two questions:

1. Many natural products are optically active. Is caffeine optically active? Explain

2. Why is sodium carbonate used during the isolation process. Write a chemical equation.

Answer 1

i don't think caffeine is cuz of its shape

Answer 2

Oh, sweetie, please don't mass tag me. If I can help, I'll help. But I'm much less inclined to assist you now.

Answer 3

@aaronq @calista0929

Answer 4

Nah, it's not optically active, though. Do you understand what optically active means? If need be I can walk you through that definition which should explain to you why caffeine isn't.

What is this for? What isolation process are you talking about? In the making of coffee and tea, it's a base. It converts tannins into sodium salts. This makes it so you can extract pure caffeine without tannins.

Answer 5

What is optically active and why is caffeine not optically active

Answer 6

im not really familiar with the term optically active

Answer 7

Any crystal or molecule that can't be superimposed on its mirror image will be optically active. Caffeine can be superimposed on it's mirror image and therefore it is not optically active.

Answer 8

is it the same thing as planar heterocycle

Answer 9

Caffeine is a planar heterocycle, yes ma'am.

Answer 10

thank you

Answer 11

No problemo. :)

Answer 12

so should I say, No caffeine is not optically active because ___________________

Answer 13

@Confusionist

Answer 14

(lol)