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Multiple Choice
How many chiral centers are present in the structure of ?
A
B
C
D
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the structure of 2-chlorobutane. It is a four-carbon chain (butane) with a chlorine atom attached to the second carbon.
Recall that a chiral center (or stereocenter) is a carbon atom bonded to four different groups, making it asymmetric.
Examine each carbon in 2-chlorobutane to see if it has four different substituents. Focus especially on the second carbon where the chlorine is attached.
Check the substituents on the second carbon: it is bonded to a chlorine atom, a hydrogen atom, a methyl group (CH3), and an ethyl group (CH2CH3). Since all four groups are different, this carbon is a chiral center.
Verify the other carbons: the first and fourth carbons are terminal methyl groups (CH3), which are not chiral, and the third carbon is bonded to two hydrogens, so it is not chiral. Therefore, there is only one chiral center in 2-chlorobutane.