How many asymmetric carbons are there in pentan-2-one?

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Question restatement: How many asymmetric carbons are there in pentan-2-one?

Option analysis:
Option a: 'a. 0' — This is correct in the sense that pentan-2-one has no chiral (asymmetric) carbons. A carbon is chiral if it has four different substituents. In pentan-2-one (CH3-CO-CH2-CH2-CH3), examine each carbon: the carbonyl carbon is attached to oxygen (double bond) and two carbons, not four different groups, so it is not chiral. The methyl carbon on the left is a CH3 group with three hydrogens, not four different substituents, so not chiral. The two interior carbons (both CH2 groups) each have two hydrogens, so they cannot be attached to four different substituents. The terminal carbon is a CH3 group, also not chiral. Therefore, none of the carbons in this molecule meets the criteria for chirality.

Option b: 'b. 3' — This would imply three of the carbons are chiral. The molecule lacks any carbon with four different substituents; assigning three chiral centers would require three carbons with distinct four-substituent environments, which is not the case here.

Option c: 'c. 2' — This would imply two chiral centers. As explained, none of the carbons possess four different substituents, so having two chiral centers would be incorrect.

Option d: 'd. 1' — This would imply one chiral center. Again, there is no carbon in pentan-2-one that has four different substituents, so this option overstates chirality in the molecule.

Overall, the reasoning shows that none of the carbon atoms carries four distinct substituents, which rules out any chiral center in pentan-2-one, aligning with the expectation that the count is zero.

MUF0042 Chemistry Unit 2 - Semester 1, 2025 2.6 Quiz: Asymmetric Carbons

How many asymmetric carbons are there in pentan-2-one?

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