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NEET levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 1 of 3st232

The compound shown is one enantiomer of 1-chloro-1-phenylethane. The compound shown is best described as

  1. Achiral, with one stereocentre
  2. Bachiral, because the benzene ring is planar
  3. Ca meso compound
  4. Da geometrical (cis/trans) isomer

Answer: A

The benzylic carbon carries , , and , four different groups, so it is a stereocentre. Planarity of the phenyl ring does not create a mirror plane for the whole molecule because the other three groups are different. The compound is chiral and exists as a pair of enantiomers; there is no second stereocentre, so no meso form, and no with two different groups on each end, so no geometrical isomerism.
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