Question

An organic compound contains 69.77% carbon, 11.63% hydrogen and rest oxygen. The
molecular mass of the compound is 86. It does not reduce Tollens’ reagent but forms an
addition compound with sodium hydrogensulphite and give positive iodoform test. On vigorous oxidation it gives ethanoic and propanoic acid. Write the possible structure of the compound.

Answer 1

% of carbon = 69.77 %
% of hydrogen = 11.63 %
% of oxygen = {100 − (69.77 + 11.63)}%
= 18.6 %
Thus, the ratio of the number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the organic
compound can be given as:

Therefore, the empirical formula of the compound is C₅H₁₀O. Now, the empirical formula mass of the compound can be given as:
5 × 12 + 10 ×1 + 1 × 16 = 86
Molecular mass of the compound = 86
Therefore, the molecular formula of the compound is given by C₅H₁₀O. Since the given compound does not reduce Tollen’s reagent, it is not an aldehyde. Again, the compound forms sodium hydrogen sulphate addition products and gives a positive iodoform test. Since the compound is not an aldehyde, it must be a methyl ketone. The given compound also gives a mixture of ethanoic acid and propanoic acid. Hence, the given compound is pentan−2−ol.