Which of the following compounds exhibits optical isomerism?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following compounds exhibits optical isomerism?
2-butanol
1-butanol
2-pentene
3-hexanol
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following compounds exhibits optical isomerism?
Step 1: Understand what optical isomerism is. It occurs when a compound can exist in two different forms that are mirror images of each other, called enantiomers.
Step 2: Identify what a chiral center is. A chiral center is a carbon atom that is attached to four different groups.
Step 3: Look at the compound 2-butanol. Check its structure to see if it has a chiral center.
Step 4: Confirm that 2-butanol has a carbon atom that is bonded to four different groups, making it chiral.
Step 5: Since 2-butanol has a chiral center, it can exist in two forms (enantiomers), which means it exhibits optical isomerism.
