Which of the following compounds is a chiral molecule?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following compounds is a chiral molecule?
2-pentene
3-pentanol
1-butanol
2-butanol
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following compounds is a chiral molecule?
Step 1: Understand what a chiral molecule is. A chiral molecule is one that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image.
Step 2: Identify the chiral center in a molecule. A chiral center is usually a carbon atom that is attached to four different groups.
Step 3: Look at the structure of 2-butanol. It has a carbon atom that is connected to four different groups: a hydroxyl group (OH), a methyl group (CH3), an ethyl group (C2H5), and a hydrogen atom (H).
Step 4: Confirm that 2-butanol has a chiral center because it has four different groups attached to one carbon atom.
Step 5: Recognize that because 2-butanol has a chiral center, it can exist in two different forms (enantiomers), making it a chiral molecule.
