JEE Main Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution

Step-by-step solution

The reaction sequence proceeds as follows: The reagent NaBH _4 is a mild reducing agent that selectively reduces the aldehyde group (- CHO ) to a primary alcohol (- CH _2 OH ). The lactam (cyclic amide) ring remains unaffected. Heating with aqueous NaOH causes the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of the lactam ring. The amide bond breaks, forming a carboxylate salt (- COO ^-) and a secondary amine (- NH -). Acidification with H _3 O ^+ protonates the carboxylate ion to form a carboxylic acid (- COOH ). The final product is an open-chain amino acid derivative with the structure HOOC - CH _2- CH _2- CH _2- CH _2- NH - CH(CH _3)- CH _2 OH . This matches the structure given in option (C). Answer: