Alcohols Phenols and EthershardNUMERICAL

In the classical Victor Meyer test, an unknown primary alcohol is eventually converted into a nitrolAlcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question

Question

In the classical Victor Meyer test, an unknown primary alcohol is eventually converted into a nitrolic acid intermediate. How many nitrogen ($N$) atoms are covalently bonded within a single molecule of the resulting nitrolic acid derivative ($R-C(=NOH)-NO_2$)?

Answer: 2

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Victor Meyer test converts a primary alcohol ($R-CH_2OH$) to an alkyl iodide, then to a primary nitroalkane ($R-CH_2-NO_2$). Reaction with nitrous acid ($HNO_2$) replaces the alpha-hydrogens to form nitrolic acid, which has the general structure $R-C(NO_2)=NOH$. This molecule clearly contains 2 nitrogen atoms.

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