The physical identity of enantiomers

Summary

• 1. The magnetic susceptibilities ofd- andl-isomers of camphor-β-sulphonic acids and some of their salts have been measured and are found to be equal, in conformity with Pasteur’s law of Molecular Dissymmetry.

• 2. The magnetic susceptibilities of the racemic modifications do not, in general, differ appreciably from those of the optically active and opposite forms, hence no definite conclusion on the nature of the racemic form can be drawn from these measurements.

• 3. The effect of position isomerism on magnetic susceptibility has been studied and it is concluded that no definite rule is obeyed in regard to the sequence of magnetic susceptibility in position isomers.

• 4. The observed values (O) of gram molecular susceptibilities (X _M) of camphor-β-sulphonates are generally less than the sum (C) ofX _m of their components. The camphor-β-sulphonates investigated fall into three groups according as O−C is negligible, nearly equal to 10·5×10⁻⁶ or varies from 26·25×10⁻⁶ to 34·76×10⁻⁶.