Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): Methyl butanoate and propyl ethanoate are metamers of each other. Reason (R): Metamerism is exhibited only by organic compounds containing divalent oxygen atoms. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Step-by-step solution

Assertion (A) is correct: Methyl butanoate ( CH ₃ CH ₂ CH ₂- COO - CH ₃ ) and propyl ethanoate ( CH ₃- COO - CH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₃ ) have the same molecular formula ( C ₅ H ₁₀ O ₂ ) but differ in the alkyl groups attached on either side of the polyvalent ester ( - COO - ) group. Therefore, they are metamers. Reason (R) is incorrect: Metamerism is not restricted to compounds with divalent oxygen atoms (like ethers). It is exhibited by any polyvalent functional group, which includes ketones ( - CO - ), secondary amines ( -