(pm)-2 Butanol is optically inactive. Give reasons.

1.	(pm)-2 Butanol is optically inactive. Give reasons.
Answer» Solution :`(pm)`-2 Butanol is a racemic MIXTURE and hence contains equal amounts of the two ENANTIOMERS, i.e, (+)-2- butanol and (-)-2- butanol. Whereas (+)-2-butanol rotates the PLANE of polarized light toward right, (-)-2-butanol rotates the plane of polarized light towards left but to the same extent. The OVERALL rotation is zero and hence `(pm)`-2-butanol is optically INACTIVE.

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