Racemic

[meltitude]

Why is it that whenever we synthesis amino acid, there is always a 50-50 ratio of L and D amino acid? Is there any particular reason to it, or is it just a phenomena?

And that what actually causes this racemization of amino acid?

[sdekivit]

something cannot be formed when it wasn't present at the beginning. So optical activity can only occur if it was present with the reactants. (compare: when we don't have carbon at the beginnig of a reaction there can't be formed a carbon containing compund).

--> thus when one of the reactants do not contain optical activity and a compund is formed that has optical activity, the racemization occurs.