MHT CET Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution

Step-by-step solution

The given compound contains a seven-membered carbon ring with a principal functional group, an alcohol (-OH). Thus, the parent name is cycloheptanol. The carbon atom attached to the -OH group is numbered as C1. The substituents on the ring are an ethyl group and a methyl group. Numbering the ring to assign the lowest possible locants to the substituents yields two possibilities: clockwise gives positions 3 for ethyl and 6 for methyl, while counter-clockwise gives positions 3 for methyl and 6 for ethyl. When the set of locants is the same in both directions, alphabetical order is considered. Since 'ethyl' comes before 'methyl' alphabetically, the ethyl group is assigned the lower number (3). Therefore, the correct numbering places the ethyl group at C3 and the methyl group at C6. The complete IUPAC name is 3-Ethyl-6-methylcycloheptanol.