To find the number of chiral alcohols with the molecular formula C4H10O, we need to explore the possible structural isomers of this formula and determine their chirality. An alcohol has an -OH group attached to a carbon atom. For an alcohol to be chiral, it must have a stereocenter, which typically means a carbon atom bonded to four different groups.
1. **List the structural isomers** of C4H10O that are alcohols:
1-butanol (CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH)
2-butanol (CH3-CH2-CH(OH)-CH3)
2-methyl-1-propanol ((CH3)2-CH-CH2-OH)
2-methyl-2-propanol ((CH3)3-C-OH)
2. **Determine chirality**: A compound is chiral if it has at least one carbon atom with four different substituents.
1-butanol: Not chiral, as it does not have a stereocenter.
2-butanol: Chiral at the second carbon (C2), which has substituents OH, CH3, CH2CH3, and H.
2-methyl-1-propanol: Not chiral, as no carbon has four different groups.
2-methyl-2-propanol: Not chiral, as no carbon has four different groups.
Thus, **2-butanol** is the only chiral alcohol.
3. **Validate the result within the given range**: Our identified solution (1 chiral alcohol) falls within the prescribed range of 1,1.
Therefore, the number of chiral alcohols with the given molecular formula is 1.
