Optical Rotatory Dispersion: Dr. Sandeep P. Netalkar

OPTICAL ROTATORY DISPERSION
(ORD)
Dr. Sandeep P. Netalkar

Overview:
• Introduction
• Fundamental Principles of ORD
• Circular Dichroism
• Instrumentation
• Cotton Effect
• Applications of ORD and CD
• Specific applications of ORD
• References
Introduction
➢Optical rotatory dispersion is the variation in the optical

rotation of a substance with a change in the wavelength of
light.
➢Optical rotatory dispersion can be used to find the absolute

configuration of metal complexes.
➢For example, when plane-polarized white light from an

overhead projector is passed through a cylinder of sucrose
solution, a spiral rainbow is observed perpendicular to the
cylinder.
Introduction
Introduction
• Chiral molecules exhibit circular birefringence, which means

that a solution of a chiral Substance presents an anisotropic
medium through which left circularly polarised (L-CPL)
&Right circularly polarised (RCPL) propagate at different
speeds.
• This leads to optical rotation which is measured by using a

polarimeter.
• Measuring optical rotation as a function of wavelength is

termed Optical rotatory dispersion (ORD) spectroscopy
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF ORD:
• Plane/Linearly polarized light.
• Optical activity.
• Specific rotation.
• Circular Birefringence/Optical Rotation

Plane/linearly polarized light
• Light from ordinary lamp consists of waves vibrating in many different
planes. When it is passed through polaroid lense it is found to vibrate in
one plane is said to be plane polarised light or polarised light.
Optical activity
• The compounds which are having the ability to rotate the
plane of polarised light are called Optically active
compounds.
• This property of compound is called optical activity. It is
measured by Polarimeter.
• Compound which rotates plane of polarised light to right(clock
wise) is called DEXTROROTATORY & is denoted by (+)
sign.If the compound rotates plane of polarised light towards
left side (anti clock wise) is called LEVOROTATORY & is
denoted by (-) sign.
• Enantiomers are optically active compounds. Optically active
molecules have different refractive indices, and different extinction
coefficients for L and R circularly polarised light.
For a compound to be optically active it must be devoid of the

following properties –
1. Plane of symmetry (σ)
2. Center of symmetry (i)
3. Alternating rotation – reflection axis of symmetry or an improper
axis (s)
Rotation of plane polarized light(FRESNELS EXPLANATION):
• According to Fresnel, a plane polarized light may be
considered as the combination of two circularly polarized light
of which one is right circularly polarized light (RCPL) & other
is left circularly polarized light (LCPL) which are in equal &
opposite in nature.
RCPL+LCPL = Plane
Polarized light (PPL)
• If Refractive index is same for two circularly polarized light
then it vibrate in opposite direction with the same angular
velocity.
• In the below image we can observe the change of E

Specific rotation
• It is defined as the observed angle of optical rotation α when
plane-polarized light is passed through a sample with a path
length of 1 decimeter and a sample concentration of 1 gram
per 1 milliliter.
Where,
α – Angle of Rotation in degrees
l –path length is in decimeters
d – Density of liquid is in g 100 ⁄ ml 1
T– Temperature.
It depends on various factors like:
• Nature of substance.
• Length of the column.
• Concentration. of the solution
• Temperature of the sol.
• Nature of the solvent.
• Wavelength of the light used.

Circular birefringence/Optical rotation:
• Circular Birefringence is the difference in refraction (and the
associated speed of light) of left and right circularly polarized
light.
• The polarization plane of linearly polarized light traversing a
Circularly Birefringent medium is rotated.
• The rotation is the result of an increment in the relative phase of the

left and right circularly polarized components in which the plane
polarized light can be decomposed.
• The increment (which can be either positive or negative) is caused
by differences in the interactions of left and right circularly
polarized light with a medium consisting of chiral molecules.
• Optical rotation caused by compound changed with

wavelength of light was first noted by Biot in 1817.
• The rotation angle is given by
Where,
l is the path length traversed by the light
nL and nR are the Refractive Indices for left and right
circularly polarized light of wavelength
Circular Dichroism
• Some materials posses special properties of absorption of the
left circular polarised light to different extent than the right
circularly polarised light.
• When the component emerges out there is an imbalance in
their strength & the resultant two will not be linearly polarized
but elliptically polarized & this phenomenon is called as
CIRCULAR DICHROISM.
Circular Dichroism
INSTRUMENTATION
A Polarimeter consists of followingparts
• Light source
• Polarizer
• Faradays
modulator
• Sample cell
• Analyzer
• Detector Schematic representation of Polarimeter

COTTON EFFECT:
❖The Cotton effect is the characteristic change in optical
rotatory dispersion in the vicinity of an absorption band of a
substance.
❖The combination of both (circular birefringence and circular

dichroism) effects in the region in which optically active
absorption bands are observed gives rise to a phenomenon
called cotton effect.
❖The difference nL-nR(∆n) and eL-eR(∆e) vary with the wave

length and can be positive or negative.
COTTON EFFECT:
• Djerassi & Klyne suggested that rotatory dispersion curves

(i.e. plot of optical rotation against wavelength.) should be
classified in to two main types.
1. Plain curves
2. Cotton effect curves.

COTTON EFFECT:
Plain curves
• These are normal or plain curves.
• These curves occur at absorption maximum.
• These curves obtained for compounds which don’t have any
absorption in wavelength where optically active compounds
are examined. Ex: Hydrocarbons, Alcohols etc
COTTON EFFECT:
Cotton effect curves
• These curves will show the high peaks & troughs which
depends on the absorbing groups.
• These curves will obtain for the compounds which are having
asymmetric carbon & chromophore which absorbs near UV
region.
• These are again divided into 2 types, they are
1. Single cotton effect curves
2. Multiple cotton effect curves.

COTTON EFFECT:
Single cotton effect curves
• These single cotton curves will show both maximum &

minimum curves at maximum absorption.
• From the longer wavelength towards the cotton effect region if

crest passes first through it then the trough it is called as +ve
cotton effect.
• In the same manner if it happens in opposite way it is called as

–ve cotton effect.
COTTON EFFECT:
COTTON EFFECT:
Multiple cotton effect curves
• These are a little different from the single cotton effect curves.
Here more than two crests & troughs are obtained. Ex:
camphor etc.
DIFFERENECES BETWEEN ORD AND CD:
OPTICAL ROTATORY DISPERSION CIRCUALR DICHROISM
(ORD) (CD)
ORD is If the refractive indices of the Circular dichroism is the differential

sample for the left and right handed absorption of left and right handed
polarized light are different, when the circularly polarized light
components are recombined , the plane
polarized radiation will be rotated through
and angle α
ORD spectra are dispersive CD spectra are absorptive

In ORD the circular polarized light is used In CD the circular polarized lgiht is used
is not converted to elliptical light and is converted to elliptical light
ORD graphs are obtained by plotting CD graphs are obtained by ploting molar
specific rotation vs wavelength ellipticity vs wavelength.
APPLICATIONS OF ORD AND CD:
• Determination of optically active substance such as amino
acids, polypeptides, proteins, steroids, antibiotics, terpenes.
• Stereochemistry of Aliphatic amino acids: Aliphatic amino

acids show a unique cotton effect. α -amino acids of levo
configuration show positive effect around 215nm while dextro
enantiomers show negative effect.
• Stereochemistry of Steroids: In one form the specific rotation

increases with decreasing wave length(positive curve) and in
the other form the specific rotation decreases with increasing
wave length( negative curve) .
SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS OF ORD:
➢Quantitative Analysis: specific rotation is a good measure of

concentration.
➢Determination of Absolute configuration.
➢Conformational studies example :(+) 3 methyl cyclohexanone.
➢Equilibrium studies: If an optically active chromophore takes

part in a reaction the extent of reaction can be observed by
means of cotton effect.
References:
➢Organic spectroscopy by William kemp 3 rd edition pages no
279-280.
➢Instrumental method of Chemical Analysis by Chatwal G.R.

and Anand S.K.
➢Instrumental method of Analysis by Willard H.H.,Merritt L.L.,

Dean J.A., Settle F.A., 6 th edition.
➢Instrumental methods of Chemical Analysis by B.K. Sharma.
➢Internet

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OPTICAL ROTATORY DISPERSION

Dr. Sandeep P. Netalkar

• Fundamental Principles of ORD

• Applications of ORD and CD

• Specific applications of ORD

➢Optical rotatory dispersion is the variation in the optical

➢Optical rotatory dispersion can be used to find the absolute

➢For example, when plane-polarized white light from an

• Chiral molecules exhibit circular birefringence, which means

• This leads to optical rotation which is measured by using a

• Measuring optical rotation as a function of wavelength is

• Plane/Linearly polarized light.

• Circular Birefringence/Optical Rotation

For a compound to be optically active it must be devoid of the

• In the below image we can observe the change of E

• Length of the column.

• Concentration. of the solution

• Temperature of the sol.

• Nature of the solvent.

• Wavelength of the light used.

• The rotation is the result of an increment in the relative phase of the

• Optical rotation caused by compound changed with

• The rotation angle is given by

• Detector Schematic representation of Polarimeter

❖The combination of both (circular birefringence and circular

❖The difference nL-nR(∆n) and eL-eR(∆e) vary with the wave

• Djerassi & Klyne suggested that rotatory dispersion curves

2. Cotton effect curves.

1. Single cotton effect curves

2. Multiple cotton effect curves.

• These single cotton curves will show both maximum &

• From the longer wavelength towards the cotton effect region if

• In the same manner if it happens in opposite way it is called as

ORD is If the refractive indices of the Circular dichroism is the differential

ORD spectra are dispersive CD spectra are absorptive

• Stereochemistry of Aliphatic amino acids: Aliphatic amino

• Stereochemistry of Steroids: In one form the specific rotation

➢Quantitative Analysis: specific rotation is a good measure of

➢Determination of Absolute configuration.

➢Conformational studies example :(+) 3 methyl cyclohexanone.

➢Equilibrium studies: If an optically active chromophore takes

➢Instrumental method of Chemical Analysis by Chatwal G.R.

➢Instrumental method of Analysis by Willard H.H.,Merritt L.L.,

➢Instrumental methods of Chemical Analysis by B.K. Sharma.

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