An insight into optical rotation of amino-acids

Abstract

Optical specific rotation of naturally occurring L-amino-acids depend upon physico-chemical properties of amino-acids, solvent used for their preparation and incident radiation. The most important parameters like total polarization, dielectric constant, dipole moment, density and molecular weights of the amino-acids are connected to optical specific rotation by mathematical equations. The present paper elucidates the variation in specific optical rotation of amino-acids with a few physico-chemical properties namely total unbound electronic charge, molecular weight, furthest distance of substituent group from asymmetric carbon atom, surface area, charge density, molecular volume, solubility and pI values. Probable reasons for these observations have been offered. Intrinsic conformations of amino-acids and the total polarization with incident low ionizing radiation for amino-acids should lead to measurable changes in specific optical rotation as compared to un-irradiated amino-acids. So long the bonds between asymmetric carbon atom and functional groups do not disrupt upon impingement of low ionizing radiation the variation in optical rotation compared to un-irradiated amino-acid should be obtained. The potential uses of this study in dosimetry and radioprotection are bright.