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Hello,
I just completed a set of problems from TBR Orgo I book Chapter 4. This chapter covers alkanes. One of the problems (#9 from the 25 Question set) gave us three sex phermones and asked to pick which one had the most primary carbons. I thought that this was pretty straightforward and now am very confused. All three molecules are straight chain so they each have at least 2 primary carbons. The correct answer choice (2-methylheptadecane) has three primary carbons due to branching, which I counted identified. However, I selected the molecule (E)-8-dodecen-1-yl acetate as the correct answer and said it had 4 primary carbons. My question is does the classification system only address sp3 hybridized carbons? What about sp2 and sp Carbons? I said that the carbonyl carbon of the ester bonded to two Os and one methyl group was a primary carbon. In addition, I said that the carbon directly bonded to the O of the ester (straight chain) was also a primary carbon since it is bonded to the O, 2Hs and 1C. How come that C is also not considered when classifying carbons? Any assistance would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
I just completed a set of problems from TBR Orgo I book Chapter 4. This chapter covers alkanes. One of the problems (#9 from the 25 Question set) gave us three sex phermones and asked to pick which one had the most primary carbons. I thought that this was pretty straightforward and now am very confused. All three molecules are straight chain so they each have at least 2 primary carbons. The correct answer choice (2-methylheptadecane) has three primary carbons due to branching, which I counted identified. However, I selected the molecule (E)-8-dodecen-1-yl acetate as the correct answer and said it had 4 primary carbons. My question is does the classification system only address sp3 hybridized carbons? What about sp2 and sp Carbons? I said that the carbonyl carbon of the ester bonded to two Os and one methyl group was a primary carbon. In addition, I said that the carbon directly bonded to the O of the ester (straight chain) was also a primary carbon since it is bonded to the O, 2Hs and 1C. How come that C is also not considered when classifying carbons? Any assistance would be very much appreciated. Thanks.
