A level organic MC

1234kelly

Can someone please explain this question for me ?

(edited 11 months ago)

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Reply 1

charco

Study Forum Helper

Original post by 1234kelly

Can someone please explain this question for me ?

A optically active compound usually contains a carbon atom with four different groups (or atoms) attached. I say "usually" because there are are other, more esoteric compounds that also exhibit optical isomerism, such as hexahelicene)

When alkenyl groups are reduced this simply means adding hydrogen across the double bond. So the alkene group becomes a saturated hydrocarbon chain.

When carbonyl groups are reduced they become either primary or secondary alcohols (depending on the position of the carbonyl group in the chain)
In this case both carbonyl groups will be reduced to secondary alcohols.