{"id":5122,"date":"2012-05-23T16:34:07","date_gmt":"2012-05-23T16:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.masterorganicchemistry.com\/?p=5122"},"modified":"2025-07-05T16:04:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T21:04:28","slug":"whats-a-racemic-mixture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.masterorganicchemistry.com\/2012\/05\/23\/whats-a-racemic-mixture\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s a Racemic Mixture?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What’s A Racemic Mixture?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A\u00a0racemic mixture\u00a0<\/strong>is an\u00a0equimolar mixture\u00a0<\/strong>of two\u00a0enantiomers<\/strong> that is\u00a0optically inactive.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"summary<\/a><\/p>\n

In this article we break down what a\u00a0racemic mixture <\/strong>is, and give plenty of examples.<\/p>\n

Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Definition of a Racemic Mixture<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. “A Racemic Mixture Consists of Two Enantiomers…”<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. “A Racemic Mixture Is Equimolar…”<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. “A Racemic Mixture Is Optically Inactive…”<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Racemic Mixtures Through Combining Optically Pure Enantiomers<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. How Do You Know If A Reaction Will Create A Racemic Mixture?<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Example #1: Addition of HBr To An Alkene<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Example #2: Free-Radical Addition of HBr\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Example #3: Alkene Hydrogenation<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. Example #4: SN<\/sub>2 Of Alkyl Halides<\/a><\/li>\n
  11. Example #5: SN<\/sub>1 Of Alkyl Halides<\/a><\/li>\n
  12. Example #6: Pre-existing chirality example<\/a><\/li>\n
  13. Example #7: Fun With\u00a0cis<\/em>-But-2-ene<\/a><\/li>\n
  14. Example #8: Fun With\u00a0trans<\/em>-But-2-ene<\/a><\/li>\n
  15. Example #9: A Chiral Reagent<\/a><\/li>\n
  16. Conclusion<\/a><\/li>\n
  17. Notes<\/a><\/li>\n
  18. Quiz Yourself!<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    <\/a>1. Definition of a Racemic Mixture<\/h2>\n

    According to IUPAC<\/a>*, a racemic mixture<\/strong> (a.k.a.\u00a0 a “racemate”) is<\/p>\n