List of Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The development of stereochemical concepts -- 2.1 Chirality and molecular structure -- 2.2 Definitions and nomenclature -- 3 Techniques used in the analysis of optically active compounds -- 3.1 Chiroptical methods -- 3.2 Nuclear magnetic resonance -- 3.3 General aspects of chromatography -- 3.4 Liquid chromatography -- 3.5 Gas chromatography -- 3.6 Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) -- 3.7 Electrophoresis -- 3.8 Planar chromatography -- 3.9 Other methods