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Multiple Choice
Which of the following molecules is chiral?
A
ethanol
B
2-butanol
C
acetone
D
2-propanol
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of chirality: A molecule is chiral if it has a non-superimposable mirror image, often due to the presence of a carbon atom bonded to four different groups.
Identify the chiral center: Look for a carbon atom in each molecule that is bonded to four different substituents.
Analyze ethanol: Ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) has a carbon atom bonded to three hydrogens and one hydroxyl group, which means it does not have a chiral center.
Analyze acetone: Acetone (CH₃COCH₃) has a central carbon atom double-bonded to oxygen and single-bonded to two identical methyl groups, so it lacks a chiral center.
Analyze 2-butanol: 2-butanol (CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃) has a carbon atom bonded to a hydroxyl group, a hydrogen, a methyl group, and an ethyl group, making it a chiral center. Thus, 2-butanol is chiral.