JEE Main Chemistry question

Which of the following would produce a secondary alcohol?

(A)C₆H₅COCH₃ (1. CH₃MgBr, 2. H⁺)
(B)C₆H₅COCH₃ (1. LiAlH₄, 2. H⁺)Correct
(C)C₆H₅CHO (1. CH₃MgBr, 2. H⁺)Correct
(D)CH₃CHO (1. LiAlH₄, 2. H⁻)

Answer: (B),(C)

Solution

LiAlH₄ reduction of acetophenone (B) simply reduces the C=O to C–OH, giving 1-phenylethanol — a secondary alcohol (carbinol carbon bonded to Ph, CH₃, OH, H). Grignard addition of CH₃MgBr to benzaldehyde (C) gives the identical product,

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Question ID VK-149723