Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which of the following molecules is chiral?
A
2-butanol
B
ethanol
C
acetone
D
propane
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify 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.
Examine each molecule to determine if it has a chiral center. A chiral center is typically a carbon atom with four different substituents.
Analyze 2-butanol: The structure of 2-butanol is CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃. The second carbon atom is bonded to four different groups: a hydroxyl group (OH), a methyl group (CH₃), an ethyl group (CH₂CH₃), and a hydrogen atom (H), making it a chiral center.
Consider ethanol: The structure of ethanol is CH₃CH₂OH. The carbon atoms are bonded to identical groups (hydrogens and a hydroxyl group), so there is no chiral center.
Evaluate acetone and propane: Acetone (CH₃COCH₃) and propane (CH₃CH₂CH₃) both lack a carbon atom bonded to four different groups, so they are not chiral.