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Chapter 11: Problem 44

Give examples of a chiral substituted alkane and an achiral substituted alkane.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Examples of a chiral and an achiral substituted alkane are 2-chlorobutane and 2,2-dimethylpropane respectively.

Step by step solution

01

- Understanding Chirality

A simple way to identify a chiral molecule is to look for an asymmetric carbon atom, that is, one that is connected to four different groups or atoms.
02

- Example of a Chiral Substituted Alkane

2-Chlorobutane is an example of a chiral substituted alkane. In 2-Chlorobutane, the second carbon atom is attached to four different groups: \(-CH_3\), \( -H\), \(-Cl\), and \(-CH_2CH_3\). No matter how this molecule is rotated or reflected, there is no orientation that makes it superimposable on its mirror image.
03

- Understanding Achirality

A molecule is achiral if it can be superimposed onto its mirror image, meaning it's symmetrical. Substituted alkanes without an asymmetric carbon atom tend to be achiral.
04

- Example of an Achiral Substituted Alkane

2,2-Dimethylpropane (also known as neopentane) is an example of an achiral substituted alkane. It does not contain an asymmetric carbon. All central carbons are connected to three hydrogens and one methyl group, resulting in superimposable mirror images.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Write structural formulas for these compounds: (a) trans-2-pentene, (b) 2-ethyl-1-butene, (c) 4 -ethyltrans-2-heptene, (d) 3 -phenyl- 1 -butyne.

Isopropyl alcohol is prepared by reacting propene \(\left(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{CHCH}_{2}\right)\) with sulfuric acid, followed by treatment with water. (a) Show the sequence of steps leading to the product. What is the role of sulfuric acid? (b) Draw the structure of an alcohol that is an isomer of isopropyl alcohol. (c) Is isopropyl alcohol a chiral molecule? (d) What property of isopropyl alcohol makes it useful as a rubbing alcohol?

Draw all the possible structural isomers for the molecule having the formula \(\mathrm{C}_{7} \mathrm{H}_{7} \mathrm{Cl}\). The molecule contains one benzene ring.

Suppose benzene contained three distinct single bonds and three distinct double bonds. How many different structural isomers would there be for dichlorobenzene \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{Cl}_{2}\right)\) ? Draw all your proposed structures.

Alkenes exhibit geometric isomerism because rotation about the \(\mathrm{C}=\mathrm{C}\) bond is restricted. Explain.
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