The Bailar twist is a mechanism proposed for the racemization of octahedral complexes containing three bidentate chelate rings. Such complexes typically adopt an octahedral molecular geometry, in which case they possess helical chirality.[1] One pathway by which these compounds can racemize is via the formation of a trigonal prismatic intermediate with D3h point group symmetry. This pathway is named in honor of John C. Bailar, Jr., an inorganic chemist who investigated this process.[2] An alternative pathway is called the Ray–Dutt twist.
- ^ "Bailar Twist" in Encyclopedia of Inorganic Chemistry, John Wiley & Sons, 2006. doi:10.1002/0470862106.id070
- ^ A. Rodger, B. F. G. Johnson (1988). "Which is more likely: the Ray–Dutt twist or the Bailar twist?". Inorganic Chemistry. 27 (18): 3061–3062. doi:10.1021/ic00291a001.