Chemistry · Alcohols: Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, mechanism of dehydration

Which compound is a secondary alcohol?

Which compound is a secondary alcohol?

  • A. Butan-1-ol
  • B. Butan-2-ol
  • C. Isobutyl alcohol
  • D. 2-Methylpropan-2-ol

Step-by-step solution

A secondary alcohol has the hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a carbon atom that is bonded to two other carbon atoms. Butan-2-ol's hydroxyl is on carbon 2, which is bonded to two carbons (carbon 1 and carbon 3), making it a secondary alcohol. The other options are primary (A, C) or tertiary (D).
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