Question

The above sequence of reaction affords:

A.A mixture of chiral, diastereomeric amino acids.
B.A mixture of racemic, diastereomeric amino acids.
C.A chiral amino acid product
D.A racemic amino acid product

Answer 1

Stereochemistry is the branch of chemistry that involves the study of different spatial arrangements of atoms in molecules. Moreover, a molecule or ion is said to be chiral if it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image by any combination or rotation and translations. To solve this question, we need to know about chirality, racemization, and stereoisomers.

Complete step by step answer:
First of all, we will discuss chirality. A chiral molecule or ion exists in two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other called enantiomers. The two enantiomers have the same physical and chemical properties, except when reacting with other chiral compounds. Further, a chiral molecule or ion must have at least one chiral center or stereo center. Now, when that center coincides with the atom, the substance is said to have point chirality.
Now, racemization further refers to the process of converting optically active compounds into racemic modification. Racemic is basically a sample of a chiral compound that consists of a $1:1$ mixture of enantiomers.
So, now the above sequence of reaction affords a racemic amino acid product. When the reaction proceeds further, a racemic mixture is obtained. The reaction is as shown:

Hence, option D is correct.

Note: Optical activity of a compound refers to the property of the compound by virtue of which it rotates the plane polarized light when it is passed through their solutions. The compounds are further known as optically active compounds. Moreover, it is of two types, dextrorotatory or d-form and levorotatory or l-form. If the compound rotates the plane polarized light in clockwise direction, then it is called d-form whereas in anticlockwise direction, it is known as l-form.