What is the number of chiral carbon atoms in 2-chlorobutane?

Step-by-step solution

The structure of 2-chlorobutane is CH₃-CH(Cl)-CH₂-CH₃ . A chiral carbon atom is one that is bonded to four different atoms or groups. In 2-chlorobutane, the second carbon atom (C2) is bonded to four different groups: a hydrogen atom ( -H ), a chlorine atom ( -Cl ), a methyl group ( -CH₃ ), and an ethyl group ( -CH₂CH₃ ). Therefore, C2 is a chiral carbon. The other carbon atoms (C1, C3, and C4) are bonded to at least two identical hydrogen atoms, so they are not chiral. Thus, there is only 1 chiral carbon atom in 2-