Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which of the following molecules is chiral?
A
B
C
D
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the concept of chirality: A molecule is chiral if it has at least one carbon atom bonded to four different substituents, making it a stereocenter (chiral center).
Examine each molecule's structure to find any carbon atoms bonded to four distinct groups. For example, look at the carbon atoms and list their substituents.
For the molecule \( \mathrm{CH_3CHBrClF} \), focus on the carbon bonded to Br, Cl, F, and CH3 groups. Since these four substituents are all different, this carbon is a chiral center.
For the other molecules, check if any carbon has four different substituents. For instance, \( \mathrm{CH_2ClCH_2Cl} \) has carbons bonded to similar groups (chlorines and hydrogens), so no chiral center exists.
Conclude that the molecule with a carbon bonded to Br, Cl, F, and CH3 is chiral because it has a stereocenter, while the others are achiral due to lack of such a carbon.