Question

Reduction of butan-2-one with NaBH4 yields butan-2-ol. Explain why the
product is chiral but not optically active.

Answer 1

Question #64719 – Chemistry – Organic Chemistry

Question: Reduction of butan-2-one with NaBH4 yields butan-2-ol. Explain why the product is chiral but not optically active.

Answer:

Reduction of butan-2-one leads to racemic mixture of (R)- an (S)- butan-2-ol. The enantiomers are optically active separately, but in racemic mixture they cancel each other out.

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