Specific rotation



The specific rotation of a gram per 1 deciliter. The specific rotation of a pure material is an intrinsic property of that material at a given wavelength and temperature. Values should always be accompanied by the temperature at which the measurement was performed and the solvent in which the material was dissolved. Often the temperature is not specified; in these cases it is assumed to be room temperature. The formal unit for specific rotation values is deg cm² g-1 but scientific literature uses just degrees. A negative value means levorotatory rotation and a positive value means dextrorotatory rotation. Some examples: