Among the purely saturated, acyclic structural alcohol isomers with the molecular formula , the specific isomer exhibiting the lowest boiling point is highly branched. Exactly how many carbon atoms co

Question

Among the purely saturated, acyclic structural alcohol isomers with the molecular formula $C_4H_{10}O$, the specific isomer exhibiting the lowest boiling point is highly branched. Exactly how many carbon atoms constitute the principal/longest parent carbon chain of this lowest-boiling isomer?

Prashant Kotian · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: 3. The alcohol isomers of are butan-1-ol, butan-2-ol, 2-methylpropan-1-ol, and 2-methylpropan-2-ol (tert-butyl alcohol). Boiling point decreases as branching increases due to a reduction in surface area and van der Waals forces. The most branched isomer is 2-methylpropan-2-ol. Its longest parent carbon chain (propane) contains 3 carbon atoms.

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