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JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3hc015

The dihedral angle between the two methyl groups of n-butane (about ) is changed from to in steps, passing through and . The correct sequence of energy extrema encountered is

  1. Aminimum (anti), minimum (gauche), maximum (CH3 eclipsed with H), maximum (CH3 eclipsed with CH3)
  2. Bmaximum (anti), minimum (CH3 eclipsed with H), maximum (gauche), minimum (CH3 eclipsed with CH3)
  3. Cminimum (anti), maximum (gauche), minimum (CH3 eclipsed with H), maximum (CH3 eclipsed with CH3)
  4. Dminimum (anti), maximum (CH3 eclipsed with H), minimum (gauche), maximum (CH3 eclipsed with CH3)

Answer: D

At the methyls are anti, a global minimum. At each methyl eclipses a hydrogen, a maximum. At the gauche form is a local minimum. At the methyls eclipse each other, the global maximum.
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