Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: 2.17 (page 72)

Which hydrogen in pseudoephedrine, the nasal decongestant in the commercial medication Sudafed, is most acidic?

Short Answer

Expert verified

In pseudoephedrine, the hydrogen atom bonded to oxygen is the most acidic.

Step by step solution

01

Acidic hydrogen

The hydrogen (H) atom that is easily dissociated from a compound/molecule is termed acidic hydrogen.

02

Acidic Strength

The acidity of a hydrogen atom depends on the ‘electronegativity’ of the atom to which it is bonded.

The higher is the atom's electronegativity, the more acidic is the hydrogen attached to it. The electronegative atom pulls the electron density towards itself, leading to the generation of H+ions.

03

Acidity of hydrogen atoms in pseudoephedrine

The structure of pseudoephedrine is shown below.

The most acidic hydrogen in pseudoephedrine

Pseudoephedrine consists of hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

Of these, oxygen is the most electronegative. Hence, the hydrogen atom bonded to it is the most acidic.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Atenolol is a β(beta) blocker, a drug used to treat high blood pressure. Which of the indicated N-H bonds is more acidic? Explain your reasoning.

Answer the following questions about the four species A-D.

a. Which two species represent a conjugate acid-base pair?

b. Which two species represent resonance structures?

c. Which two species represent constitutional isomers?

Fenfluramine and phentermine are two components of fen–phen, an appetite suppressant withdrawn from the market in 1997 after it was shown to damage the heart valves in some patients. What products are formed when fenfluramine and phentermine are each treated with acetic acid CH3CO2H?

Amphetamine is a powerful stimulant of the central nervous system.

a. Which proton in amphetamine is most acidic? b. What products are formed when amphetamine is treated with NaH? c. What products are formed when amphetamine is treated with HCl?

Question: Draw all possible isomers for each molecular formula.

a. C3H7Cl(two isomers)

b. C2H4O (three isomers)

c. C3H9N (four isomers)
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Making Measurements

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free