Enantiomerism is shown by

Options

A. malonic acid
B. malic acid
C. maleic acid
D. succinic acid

Answer

B

Explanation

Two compounds which are identical in all respects except that they exert an opposite (but equal) effect on plane-polarized light are said to be enantiomers and the whole phenomenon is described as enantiomersim. Organic compounds exhibit this property only when their moelcules are chiral. Malic acid (hydroxysuccinie acid, hyroxybutanedioc acid) occurs in sour apples (Latin malum, apple), fruits, berries etc.
`overset(**)(HO_(2)C CH_(2)CH(OH)CO_(2)H`
It is chiral (optically active) as it contains just one chiral carbon atom `(**)`.
Malonic acid `(HO_(2)C-CH_(2)-CO_(2)H)`,maleic acid `(HO_(2)C CH = CHCO_(2)H)` and succinic acid `(HO_(2)C CH_(2)CH_(2)CO_(2)H)` can't exhibit enantiomerism as their molecules are not chiral (they are achiral) due to presence of plane of symmetry: