NEET 2012 Chemistry question

Which of the following acids does **not** exhibit optical isomerism?

(1)Tartaric acid
(2)Maleic acidCorrect
(3)-amino acids
(4)Lactic acid

Answer: (2)

Solution

Optical isomerism requires chirality (no plane of symmetry or centre of symmetry). Maleic acid (-) has no chiral carbon and the molecule is planar and achiral, so it does not show optical isomerism

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Question ID VK-091125