Asked by Patrick Brown on Jul 31, 2024

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Which of the following statements is (are) true for the compound (R) -2-butanol?

A) This compound is chiral.
B) This compound is optically active.
C) This compound has an enantiomer.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Optically Active

A substance is said to be optically active if it can rotate the plane of polarization of polarized light, a property often associated with the presence of chiral molecules.

Chiral

Describes a molecule or ion that cannot be superimposed on its mirror image, often resulting in two forms (enantiomers) with different properties.

Enantiomer

One of two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other but not superimposable, often showing different behaviors in chiral environments.

  • Understand the concept of chirality and its implications in chemical compounds.
  • Comprehend the relationship between chiral centers and optical activity.
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RG
Robert GarciaAug 04, 2024
Final Answer :
D
Explanation :
A) This compound is chiral because it has four different substituents attached to the chiral center (the carbon atom with the asterisk).
B) This compound is optically active because it is chiral and can rotate the plane of polarized light.
C) This compound has an enantiomer because it is chiral and exists as a pair of mirror-image molecules. The enantiomer would be (S)-2-butanol.