JEE Main Chemistry question

Although D-galactose rotates plane-polarised light, its oxidation product, galactaric acid, due to , does not. It is due to

(A)Galactaric acid is a racemic mixture of D- and L-isomer
(B)Galactaric acid is a meso compoundCorrect
(C)Both are correct
(D)None of the above is correct

Answer: (B)

Solution

Oxidation of both ends of D-galactose with nitric acid converts both the aldehyde and the terminal –CH₂OH to –COOH, and the resulting dicarboxylic acid (galactaric/mucic acid) happens to possess an internal mirror plane of symmetry, making it a meso

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Question ID VK-150780