Q. What do you mean by resolution of racemic mixture? How is it achieved?

Q. What do you mean by resolution of racemic mixture? How is it achieved?

Ans. Separation of a racemic mixture (dl-mixture) into the optically pure isomers is known as resolution of racemic mixture. It is achieved by the following methods.

(i) Mechanical Method. It consists mechanically picking one kind of the crystal from the other kind from the mixture of both.

(ii) Biological Method. It makes use of special type of bacteria, which attacks one of the two isomeric varieties, consumes it, leaving the other unaffected.

(iii) Chemical Method. In this method a racemic mixture is treated with a pure optically active substance when two diastereoisomers are obtained which are physically separable.