Question

Is \[3\] Methyl hexane optically active?

Answer 1

Hint: Hydrocarbons are the compounds consisting of only carbon and hydrogen atoms. Some of the hydrocarbons are optically active. Optically active compounds are compounds that are chiral, and these compounds should not possess any element of symmetry operations.

Complete answer:
Alkanes are the compounds consisting of only carbon and hydrogen atoms. These are also known as paraffins. In alkanes the carbon and hydrogen have only a single bond between them. The hybridization involved in alkanes are \[s{p^3}\].
Given compound is \[3\] Methyl hexane. It has six carbon atoms in its base chain and one carbon in branched chain i.e. substituent. The molecular formula of \[3\] Methyl hexane is \[{C_7}{H_{16}}\].
The structure of \[3\]Methyl hexane will be as follows:
\[C{H_3} - C{H_2} - CH\left( {C{H_3}} \right) - C{H_2} - C{H_2} - C{H_3}\]
The \[{3^{rd}}\] carbon is the central carbon and it is a chiral carbon. Chirality is the property exhibited by the carbon consisting of four different groups. Here \[{3^{rd}}\] carbon consists of four different groups. This compound also does not have any symmetry element like plane of symmetry, axis of symmetry and centre of symmetry.
The given compound \[3\] Methyl hexane does not possess any symmetry element and also it has chiral carbon. Thus, \[3\] Methyl hexane is optically active.

Note:
Optical means light, optically active compounds were able to rotate the plane polarized light. If the compound rotates the plane polarized light towards the right side, then it can be called a d-isomer. If the compound rotates the plane polarized light towards the left side, it can be called as –isomer.