Answer to Question #92872 in Organic Chemistry for Godswillbassey

Question

Whats is the relarionship that exisr between
CH3COCH2CH3 AND CH3C(OH)=CHCH3

Answer 1

These compounds have the same molecular formula C4H8O but different structure. They are isomers. The type of isomerism is keto-enol tautomerism. The keto and enol forms are said to be tautomers of each other. The interconversion of two forms involves the movement of an alpha hydrogen atom and the reorganisation of bonding electrons:

$CH_3-C(O)-CH_2-CH3\leftrightarrow CH_3-C(OH)=CH-CH_3$