Explain the optical isomerism in octahedral complexes.

Optical isomers are the stereoisomers that are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other and they differ in the direction in which they rotate plane-polarised light.They do not possess the plane of symmetry. The molecules which are non super-imposable mirror image of each other are called chiral and this property is called chirality. The d and l isomers are called enantiomers. Optical isomerism is common in octahedral complexes involving 1, 2, 3 symmetrical didentate ligands. e.g [Co(Cl)₂(en)₂]⁺

It contains three symmetrical didentate ligands, e.g., [Co(en)3​]3+. They have dextro and laevo forms.