2019 A Level H2 Chemistry Paper 1 Question 17 - Deduce Smallest Ether with Chiral Carbon

Let's look at this organic chemistry question, 2019 A Level H2 Chemistry Paper 1 Question 17.

We need to deduce the smallest ether possible with a chiral carbon present.

So let's focus and start with the chiral carbon.

A chiral carbon is a saturated sp³ hybridised carbon that is bonded to 4 different groups.

We can use an asterisk to denote a chiral carbon.

So the 4 different groups that we will put around this chiral carbon will be:

1. a hydrogen since it will not contribute to carbon number.
2. a -O-CH₃ group to fulfil the ether functional group criteria. Notice the smallest R₂ will be a methyl group and there is no need for R₂ to be any larger.
3. a methyl group for smallest alkyl group possible.
4. an ethyl group for the next smallest alkyl group possible.

Hence we have our required structure and there are altogether 5 carbons.

So the answer to this question will be option B.

Topic: Introduction to Organic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, A Level Chemistry, Singapore

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