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NEET 2026
Exam
NEET
Year
2026
Subject
Chemistry
Chapter
Chapter

NEET 2026 · Chemistry · Chapter

Observe the structures of the sodium salts of various carboxylic...

Observe the structures of the sodium salts of various carboxylic acids provided in the figure. Which of these salts
Observe the structures of the sodium salts of various carboxylic acids provided in the figure.

Which of these salts will yield 2-methylpropane as the major organic product upon heating with a mixture of NaOHNaOH and CaOCaO?

Options

  1. AII only
  2. BII and III only
  3. CI and III only
  4. DIII and IV only

Correct answer

B. II and III only

Step-by-step solution

Heating a sodium salt of a carboxylic acid with soda lime (NaOHNaOH and CaOCaO) results in decarboxylation, yielding an alkane with one carbon atom less than the original salt.

The general reaction is:
R−COONa→NaOH+CaO,ΔR−H+Na2CO3R-COONa \xrightarrow{NaOH + CaO, \Delta} R-H + Na_2CO_3

We need the product to be 2-methylpropane, which has the structure CH3−CH(CH3)−CH3CH_3-CH(CH_3)-CH_3 or (CH3)3CH(CH_3)_3CH.

Let us analyze the decarboxylation products of the given salts:

For I: CH3−CH2−CH(CH3)−COONa→ΔCH3−CH2−CH2−CH3CH_3-CH_2-CH(CH_3)-COONa \xrightarrow{\Delta} CH_3-CH_2-CH_2-CH_3 (n-butane)

For II: (CH3)3C−COONa→Δ(CH3)3CH(CH_3)_3C-COONa \xrightarrow{\Delta} (CH_3)_3CH (2-methylpropane)

For III: CH3−CH(CH3)−CH2−COONa→ΔCH3−CH(CH3)−CH3CH_3-CH(CH_3)-CH_2-COONa \xrightarrow{\Delta} CH_3-CH(CH_3)-CH_3 (2-methylpropane)

For IV: CH3−CH2−CH2−CH2−COONa→ΔCH3−CH2−CH2−CH3CH_3-CH_2-CH_2-CH_2-COONa \xrightarrow{\Delta} CH_3-CH_2-CH_2-CH_3 (n-butane)

Thus, both salts II and III yield 2-methylpropane as the major organic product.

Answer: II and III only
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