geometric isomers

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Are geometric isomers optically active? They don't have a chiral center, and I thought you needed a chiral center to be optically active? It seems though that the only diastereomer that is optically inactive is the meso compound. Could somoene please clarify? Thanks in advance🙂

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Are geometric isomers optically active? They don't have a chiral center, and I thought you needed a chiral center to be optically active? It seems though that the only diastereomer that is optically inactive is the meso compound. Could somoene please clarify? Thanks in advance🙂

Geometrical isomers in terms of pi-bonds? Those are not optically active unless there is a stereogenic center somewhere else on the molecule.

If you are thinking of cis-trans isomers associated with cyclopentane or cyclohexane, then they can are generally optically active unless the compound happens to be meso.

A cool brain teaser of a problem involves cis-1,4-dimethylcyclohexane versus trans-1,4-dimethylcyclohexane. Neither rotate plane polarized light and they are diastereomers.