Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

5. Chirality

Chirality

Organic Chemistry

5. Chirality

Chirality

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following molecules is chiral?

2-butanol

ethanol

2-propanol

acetone

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Verified step by step guidance

Understand the concept of chirality: A molecule is chiral if it has a non-superimposable mirror image, often due to the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom (a carbon atom bonded to four different groups).

Examine each molecule to identify any asymmetric carbon atoms. Start with ethanol (C₂H₅OH): Ethanol has two carbon atoms, but neither is bonded to four different groups, so it is not chiral.

Next, consider 2-propanol (C₃H₇OH): The central carbon atom is bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH), a hydrogen atom (H), and two methyl groups (CH₃), which are identical. Therefore, 2-propanol is not chiral.

Now, analyze acetone (C₃H₆O): Acetone has a central carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and bonded to two identical methyl groups (CH₃). It lacks an asymmetric carbon atom, so it is not chiral.

Finally, evaluate 2-butanol (C₄H₉OH): The second carbon atom is bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH), a hydrogen atom (H), a methyl group (CH₃), and an ethyl group (C₂H₅). These four different groups make the carbon atom asymmetric, indicating that 2-butanol is chiral.