Question

If a compound has 3 chiral carbons, what is the number of optically active isomers?

• A. 9
• B. 3
• C. 4
• D. 8

Hint:

The number of optically active isomers for a compound with \( n \) chiral centers is \( 2^n \), and some may be optically inactive meso compounds.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understand chirality and optical isomers.
The number of optical isomers for a compound with \( n \) chiral centers is given by \( 2^n \), where \( n \) is the number of chiral carbons.

Step 2: Apply the formula.
For 3 chiral carbons, the number of optically active isomers is \( 2^3 = 8 \).
However, some of the isomers may be meso compounds, which are optically inactive.
For this question, we are considering the total number of isomers, including both optically active and inactive forms.