In the classical Victor Meyer test, an unknown primary alcohol is eventually converted into a nitrol — Alcohols 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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