Explain4 marksStandard
A new chiral drug is synthesised by a non-stereoselective method, producing a racemic mixture. The drug has one chiral centre. One enantiomer is therapeutically active, while the other is inactive and causes harmful side effects.
Explain why: (i) the product is described as a racemic mixture, (ii) the racemic mixture must be separated into pure enantiomers before the drug can be used, (iii) a chiral catalyst can be used in the synthesis to avoid the need for separation, (iv) what is meant by the term optically active.