(S)-2-Butanol (CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃) - R or S Configuration
Is (S)-2-Butanol R or S?
(S)-2-Butanol (CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃) has 1 chiral center. The simplest chiral alcohol. Oxygen (atomic number 8) is directly bonded, giving -OH the highest priority among substituents.. The configuration is S based on CIP priority rules.
| Formula | CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃ |
| Name | (S)-2-Butanol |
| Number of Chiral Centers | 1 |
| Configuration(s) | S |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
Chiral Center Analysis
(S)-2-Butanol (CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CH₃) contains 1 chiral center. The simplest chiral alcohol. Oxygen (atomic number 8) is directly bonded, giving -OH the highest priority among substituents.. Each chiral center is analyzed below using CIP (Cahn-Ingold-Prelog) priority rules to determine R or S configuration.
CIP Priority Assignment
The four substituents on the chiral center are ranked by atomic number of the directly attached atom, with ties broken by exploring outward along each branch.
- Priority 1: -OH - Oxygen directly bonded (atomic number 8) - beats all carbon-first substituents
- Priority 2: -CH₂CH₃ - Ethyl: first atom C, second atoms include C - longer chain than methyl
- Priority 3: -CH₃ - Methyl: first atom C, second atoms only H - shorter chain
- Priority 4: H - Hydrogen always lowest (atomic number 1)
R/S Configuration
With the lowest priority group (priority 4) oriented away from the viewer, the remaining three substituents trace a counterclockwise path from priority 1 to 2 to 3. This gives the S configuration.
Interactive stereochemistry explorer with guided walkthroughs and practice quizzes.
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