3,4-Dimethylpent-1-ene has the formula CH2=CH—CH(CH3)—CH(CH3)2. When pure (R)-3,4-dimethylpent-1-ene is treated with hydrogen over a platinum catalyst, the product is (S)-2,3-dimethylpentane.
d. How useful is the (R) or (S) designation for predicting the sign of an optical rotation? Can you predict the sign of the rotation of the reactant? Of the product? (Hint from Juliet Capulet: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet.”)