Spectroscopic Analysis: Raman Optical Activity

Chiral molecules can exist in two forms that are mirror images of each other. Discrimination of both forms (the enantiomers) by physical methods is difficult, but can be done for example by the interaction of the molecules with circularly polarized light. Several spectroscopies are in use, one of them is the excitation of Raman spectra by both forms of circularly polarized light and the analysis of the difference of the two spectra obtained. This technique, the measurement of Raman Optical Activity (ROA), is described in this chapter together with its applications