Question:medium

Which of the following is not a functional isomer pair (of each other)?

Show Hint

To be isomers, compounds must have the exact same molecular formula.
Alcohols have one oxygen atom (\(\text{O}_1\)) while esters have two oxygen atoms (\(\text{O}_2\)), making it impossible for them to be isomers.
  • Alcohol and ether
  • Aldehyde and ketone
  • Carboxylic acid and esters
  • Alcohol and esters
Show Solution

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Remember what functional isomers require.
Two classes of compounds can be functional isomers of each other only if they can share exactly the same molecular formula, just with the atoms arranged into a different functional group.
Step 2: Write out the general formulas.
Alcohols and ethers both fit $\text{C}_n\text{H}_{2n+2}\text{O}$, so they can match. Aldehydes and ketones both fit $\text{C}_n\text{H}_{2n}\text{O}$, so they can match. Carboxylic acids and esters both fit $\text{C}_n\text{H}_{2n}\text{O}_2$, so they can match too.
Step 3: Now compare alcohol and ester formulas. \[ \text{Alcohol: } \text{C}_n\text{H}_{2n+2}\text{O} \quad \text{Ester: } \text{C}_n\text{H}_{2n}\text{O}_2 \] These two formulas differ both in the number of hydrogens and in the number of oxygens, for every possible value of $n$.
Step 4: Draw the conclusion.
Because their molecular formulas can never coincide, an alcohol and an ester can never be built from the same set of atoms, so they cannot be functional isomers. \[ \boxed{\text{Alcohol and esters}} \]
Was this answer helpful?
0