How to Change Tartaric Acid to Racemic Acid

Tartaric acid is found in grapes and other foods and gives the fruit a slightly tart flavor. Racemic acid is a mixture of two separate forms of tartaric acid. The two forms are said to be chiral, which means that their molecules are exact mirror images of each other like left and right hands. Louis Pasteur discovered this property of tartaric acid while working with a residue called argol that is left inside wine barrels after the fermentation of wine. Chemistry students sometimes create racemic acid as a laboratory exercise regarding chiral molecules.

Things You'll Need

• L-type tartaric acid
• D-type tartaric acid
• Scientific scale
• 3 glass beakers
• Distilled water
• 3 glass rods

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Instructions

• 1

  Measure out equal amounts by weight of L-type (laevo-) tartaric acid and D-type (dextro-) tartaric acid using a scientific scale.

• 2

  Dissolve the measured amount of L-type tartaric acid in distilled water in a glass beaker, stirring with a glass rod. Dissolve the measured amount of D-type tartaric acid in an equal amount of distilled water in a separate glass beaker in the same way.

• 3

  Pour both solutions into a third glass beaker and stir well. The two separate types of tartaric acid molecules will unite and produce heat. When they are united, the substance is referred to as racemic acid.