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NEET levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 1 of 3st113

Which one of the following compounds is optically active (as a single enantiomer it would rotate plane-polarised light)?

A $CH X_{3} - CH (OH) - CH X_{3}$ (propan-2-ol)
B $CH X_{3} - CH X_{2} - CH X_{2} - OH$ (propan-1-ol)
C $(CH X_{3}) X_{3} C - OH$ (2-methylpropan-2-ol)
D $CH X_{3} - CH X_{2} - CH (OH) - CH X_{3}$ (butan-2-ol)

Answer: D

A compound is optically active if it is chiral. Butan-2-ol has C2 bonded to four different groups (H, OH,

CH X_{3}

,

C X_{2} H X_{5}

) and is chiral. The other three alcohols have a carbon carrying two identical groups or no stereocentre and are achiral.

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