JEE Main Chemistry question

A carbonyl compound reacts with hydrogen cyanide to form a cyanohydrin which, on hydrolysis, forms a racemic mixture of an α-hydroxy acid. The carbonyl compound is:

(A)Diethyl ketone
(B)Formaldehyde
(C)AcetaldehydeCorrect
(D)Acetone

Answer: (C)

Solution

Only when the cyanohydrin's carbon bears four different groups does hydrolysis give a chiral (racemic) α-hydroxy acid. Acetaldehyde's cyanohydrin, CH₃CH(OH)CN, hydrolyses to racemic lactic acid, CH₃CH(OH)COOH (a

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Question ID VK-149736