D,l form

Definition

The d,l form refers to a notation system used in organic chemistry to describe the racemic mixture of two enantiomers, where "d" (from the Latin "dexter") indicates the right-handed (clockwise) rotation of plane-polarized light by an isomer, and "l" (from the Latin "laevus") indicates left-handed (counterclockwise) rotation. These labels are based on the optical activity of the molecules rather than their spatial configuration.

Related terms

Enantiomers: Non-superimposable mirror image molecules that differ in their spatial arrangement around an asymmetric carbon.

Optical Activity: The ability of a compound to rotate plane-polarized light, measured as a physical property to distinguish between different enantiomers.

Racemic Mixture: A 50/50 mixture of two enantiomers that does not rotate plane-polarized light because the effects of each enantiomer cancel each other out