An organic compound which has a chiral center will show optical rotation. If it undergoes a reaction which results in a product with no optical rotation, then the mechanism of the reaction is the reason behind that. Assume that you have R-2-butanol reacting with HBr by SN1 mechanism, the product will be 50:50 mixture of R-2-bromobutane & S-2-bromombutane & this mixture is a racemate which will not show optical rotation. However, if R-2-butanol reacts with HBr by SN2 mechanism, then S-2-bromobutane only is obtained which shows optical rotation.