Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
racemate

racemate

1 9.9
A chemical mixture with equal amounts of left- and right-handed versions of the same molecule
  • noun
  • /ˈræsɪˌmeɪt/
  • Specialized
: racemato
  • use of racemate

Examples

  • Thalidomide illustrates the first risk: S(-), R(+), and the S, R racemate of thalidomide are equally active hypnotics, as tested by prolongation of phenobarbital-induced sleep.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Many pharmaceutical products are sold as racemates, containing equal amounts of both enantiomers.

  • In organic chemistry, a racemate refers to a mixture with an equal ratio of left- and right-handed enantiomers.

  • The researcher explained that racemates can sometimes exhibit different biological activities than their individual enantiomers.

Surface Forms

racemate singular
racemates plural

Etymology

The word racemate comes from the same root as racemic, which comes from Latin racemus meaning 'a bunch of grapes', because early chemists found equal mixes in grape acids. So a racemate is a chemical mix with equal 'left' and 'right-handed' versions of the same molecule.