Which of the following compounds is an optically inactive compound?

Step-by-step solution

Optical inactivity arises in achiral molecules. A compound lacking chiral centers or possessing a plane of symmetry is achiral and thus optically inactive. For 2-chloro-2-methylbutane, the carbon at position 2 is bonded to - Cl , - CH ₃ , - CH ₃ , and - CH ₂ CH ₃ , with two identical methyl groups making it non-chiral. No other chiral centers exist, and the molecule lacks a plane of symmetry, confirming achirality. In contrast, 3-chlorohexane has one chiral center at C3 with groups - H , - Cl , - CH ₂ CH ₃ , and -