Abstract

The word chiroptical is descriptive of the techniques that use optical detection devices that are selective toward optically active (chiral) materials and/or molecules. They are used for structural investigation and analytical determination. There are three chiroptical techniques: 1

Polarimetry, which deals with the angular rotation of plane polarized light, usually at a single wavelength.

Optical rotatory dispersion (ORD), in which the angular rotation of the plane polarized light is measured as a function of the wavelength.

Circular dichroism (CD), in which the angular rotation is measured as a function of wavelength, but the light is circularly polarized.