Chemistry Alcohols & Phenols MDCAT 2018
PMDC Verified Question 74 of 95
Which one the following compounds is known as tertiary alcohol?
A
2-Methyl-1-propanol
B
2-Methyl-2-propanol
C
2-Propanol
D
1-Propanol
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option B: 2-Methyl-2-propanol
Concept:

To identify a tertiary alcohol from its IUPAC name, the hydroxyl group and an alkyl substituent must be positioned on the identical carbon atom in the main chain.

Formula:

$$ \text{CH}_3-\text{C}(\text{CH}_3)(\text{OH})-\text{CH}_3 $$

Solution:

  • Option A (2-Methyl-1-propanol) has -OH on C1 and methyl on C2 (primary).


  • Option B (2-Methyl-2-propanol) has both the -OH group and a methyl group on C2. This means C2 is bonded to three carbons, making it a tertiary alcohol.


  • Option C is secondary, and Option D is primary.


Why other options are incorrect:

A tertiary alcohol must have the generic locant pattern "x-alkyl-x-alkanol". Only Option B fits this structural requirement.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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