Biphenyls & Optical Isomerism: When Planes Matter

The video tutorial explains the structure and properties of biphenyls, highlighting their lack of chiral centers and optical inactivity due to free rotation. It discusses how biphenyls can become chiral and optically active when bulky groups are substituted at ortho positions, preventing free rotation. This leads to the formation of ananchomers, a phenomenon known as heteroisomerism.

What role do bulky groups play in the optical activity of biphenyl compounds?

How does the non-planarity of benzene nuclei in biphenyls affect their symmetry?