Question

Among the following four structures I to IV, which of the following statements is true?

• A. only I and II are chiral compounds
• B. only III is chiral compound
• C. only II and IV are chiral compounds
• D. all four are chiral compounds

Answer 1

The correct option is A only I and II are chiral compounds

Any molecule that contains a chiral center will be chiral (with the exception of a meso compound). For example, the compounds shown in (I) and (II) contain a carbon atom with four nonidentical substituents; this carbon atom is a chiral center, and the molecule itself is chiral, because it's nonsuperimposable on its mirror image. Hence, the correct answer is option (a).