MHT CET Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution

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The general structure of an -amino acid is H_ 2 N-CH(R)-COOH. For an amino acid to be chiral, the -carbon must be attached to four different groups. In glycine, the side chain R is a hydrogen atom (H). The structure of glycine is H_ 2 N-CH_ 2 -COOH. Since the -carbon is attached to two identical hydrogen atoms, it does not have four different groups attached to it, making it achiral. Valine, alanine, and isoleucine have different R groups (isopropyl, methyl, and sec-butyl respectively) and thus contain chiral carbons. Answer: Glycine