896 mL vapour of a hydrocarbon 'A' having carbon 87.80% and hydrogen 12.19% weighs 3.28g at STP. Hydrogenation of 'A' gives 2-methylpentant. Also 'A' on hydration in the presence of H2SO4 and HgSO4 gives a ketone 'B' having molecular formula C6H12O. The ketone 'B' gives a positive iodoform test. Find the structure of 'A' and give the reactions involved.


To determine the molecular mass of hydrogen (A) 896 mL vapour of CxHy(A) weighs 3.28 g at STP
22700 mL vapour of CxHy(A) weighs 328×22700896 g/mol at STP=83.1 g/mol
Hence, molecular mass of CxHy(A)=83.1 g mol-1. To determine the empirical formula of hydrocarbon (A).

Element

%

Atomic mass

Relative ratio

Relative no. of atoms

Simplest ratio

C

87.8

12

7.31

1

3

H

12.18

1

12.19

1.66

4.985

Thus, Empirical formula of A is C3H5.

 Empirical formula mass=36+5=41.

n=Molecular massEmpirical formula mass=83.141=2.02=2

Molecular mass is double of empirical formula mass.

 Molecular formula is C6H10

To determine the structure of compounds (A) and (B)

C6H10(A)2-methyl pentane

Hence, hydrogenation of hydrocarbon (A) requires 2 moles of hydrogen to form 2-methylpentane. Therefore, hydrocarbon (A) is an alkyne having five carbon atoms in a straight chain and a methyl substituent at position 2. Thus, the possible structures for the alkyne (A) are I and II.

Since, addition of H2O to alkyne (A) in presence of Hg2+, give a ketone which gives positive iodoform test, therefore, ketone (B) must be a methyl ketone, i.e., it must contain a COCH3 group.

Now addition of H2O to alkyne (II) should give a mixture of two ketones in which 2-methylpentan-3 one (minor) and 4-methylpentan-2-one ketone (B) (which shows +ve iodoform test) predominates.

In contrast, addition of H2O to alkyne (I) will give only one ketone, i.e., 4-methylpentan-2-one which gives iodoform test.

Thus, hydrocarbon CxHy(A) is 4-methylpent-1-yne. 4-methylpentan-2 one (gives +ve iodoform test)