Abstract
The CD. spectra of carotenoids in the 220‐500 nm region may by inspection be classified as (a) essentially Conservative, (b) intermediate, or (c) essentially nonconservative. A conservative spectrum shows in that spectral region a sequence of 5‐6 relatively sharp Cotton effects of alternating sign, the rotatory strengths of which roughly add to zero. In a non‐conservative spectrum Δϵ has the same sign over the whole region and its absolute value is in general somewhat smaller. In general, typical conservative spectra invert upon isomerization of the molecule from all‐trans to mono‐cis. Non‐conservative spectra do not invert. The model of a chiral polyene of the length of the conjugated carotene chromophore reproduces well the main features of the conservative spectra. The theoretical predictions and the experimental data are shown to conform to the C~2~‐rule [43] [44]. The particular nature of the longest‐wavelength transition is interpreted. Based on a summary of the chiroptic data on about 50 naturally occurring compounds, the question is discussed of when conservative spectra arise and when not.