Isomerat

Isomerat is a term that may appear in chemical literature to denote a compound that is an isomer of another or a mixture of isomers, but it is not a standard IUPAC term. In English, the more precise terms are isomer, structural isomer, or stereoisomer, depending on the relationship of the molecules. The word may be encountered particularly in translations from other languages or in industrial contexts where the output of an isomerization process is described as an 'isomerate' stream; however, usage varies and some writers would simply call the product a mixture of isomers.

Isomers share the same molecular formula but differ in connectivity (structural isomers) or in spatial arrangement (stereoisomers). Isomerization is a chemical process that rearranges atoms to form new isomers, often used to adjust physical properties such as boiling point, density, or octane rating.

Industrially, isomerization of hydrocarbons can produce branched alkanes from straight-chain precursors, yielding a higher-octane gasoline blend. In fragrance chemistry, different isomeric forms of a molecule can have distinct olfactory properties, so isomeric purity becomes important.

Characterization of an isomer or isomeric mixture typically uses spectroscopic and chromatographic methods, including nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and various forms of chromatography, sometimes with chiral selectors to resolve enantiomers.

Because the term 'isomerat' is not widely standardized, readers should consult the original source for precise meaning and scope in any given context.