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 will yield 2-methylpropane as the major organic product upon heating with a mixture of and ?
Options
- AII only
- BII and III only
- CI and III only
- 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 ( and ) results in decarboxylation, yielding an alkane with one carbon atom less than the original salt.
The general reaction is:
We need the product to be 2-methylpropane, which has the structure or .
Let us analyze the decarboxylation products of the given salts:
For I: (n-butane)
For II: (2-methylpropane)
For III: (2-methylpropane)
For IV: (n-butane)
Thus, both salts II and III yield 2-methylpropane as the major organic product.
Answer: II and III only
The general reaction is:
We need the product to be 2-methylpropane, which has the structure or .
Let us analyze the decarboxylation products of the given salts:
For I: (n-butane)
For II: (2-methylpropane)
For III: (2-methylpropane)
For IV: (n-butane)
Thus, both salts II and III yield 2-methylpropane as the major organic product.
Answer: II and III only