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
1-butanol
B
2-propanol
C
ethanol
D
2-butanol
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the concept of chirality: A molecule is chiral if it has a carbon atom bonded to four different groups, making it non-superimposable on its mirror image.
Examine 1-butanol: The structure is CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OH. The carbon atoms in this molecule do not have four different groups attached, so it is not chiral.
Examine 2-propanol: The structure is CH₃CHOHCH₃. The central carbon is bonded to two identical CH₃ groups, so it is not chiral.
Examine ethanol: The structure is CH₃CH₂OH. The carbon atoms in this molecule do not have four different groups attached, so it is not chiral.
Examine 2-butanol: The structure is CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃. The central carbon is bonded to four different groups (CH₃, CH₂CH₃, OH, and H), making it chiral.