Chemistry · Aldehyde and Ketones: Nature of carbonyl group, nucleophilic addition to >C=O group, relative reactivities of aldehydes and ketones

Which of the following cyanohydrins on hydrolysis give an optically active acid

Which of the following cyanohydrins on hydrolysis give an optically active acid giving iodoform reaction?

  • A. Acetone cyanohydrin
  • B. Propionaldehyde cyanohydrin
  • C. Acetaldehyde cyanohydrin
  • D. Formaldehyde cyanohydrin

Step-by-step solution

Acetaldehyde cyanohydrin (CH3CH(OH)CN) hydrolyzes to lactic acid (CH3CH(OH)COOH), which has a chiral carbon (optical activity) and contains a CH3CH(OH)- group that gives a positive iodoform test. Other options yield achiral or non-methyl-substituted α-hydroxy acids, failing either optical activity or iodoform test.
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