Abstract
The thesis includes an account of the development of the modern conception of the causes of optical activity and optical rotatory dispersion. The optical rotatory dispersions of glycide phenyl ether and sec. octyl phenyl ether, in the homogeneous state, have been examined in the visible and ultra-violet regions of the spectrum. The optical rotatory dispersion of glycide phenyl other has also been examined in some fourteen solvents in the visible region, and in othereal solution in the ultra-violet region. It is suggested that the effect temperature on the rotatory dispersion of glycide phenyl other, both in the homogeneous state and in solution in n-butyl other, may be due to its existence in the form of a cyclic structure which is readily destroyed on raising the temperature.