Question

1-Propanol and 2 -Propanol are ______ isomers.

Short answer

Answer: 1-Propanol and 2-Propanol exhibit position isomerism.

Step-by-step solution

Understand isomerism

Isomers are molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures or arrangement of atoms. There are two main types of isomerism: structural isomerism and stereoisomerism. We will focus on structural isomerism, which involves different ways of connecting atoms within the molecule.

Draw structures of 1-Propanol and 2-Propanol

1-Propanol: CH3CH2CH2OH 2-Propanol: CH3CHOHCH3 1-Propanol's structure consists of a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to the terminal carbon atom in a three-carbon chain, whereas 2-Propanol has its hydroxyl group attached to the middle carbon atom in a three-carbon chain. These distinct structural differences indicate that they are structural isomers.

Identify the type of isomerism

As we observed that 1-Propanol and 2-Propanol have different connectivity in their structures but the same molecular formula (C3H8O), they exhibit position isomerism, which is a type of structural isomerism where the functional group is connected at different positions on the molecule's backbone. Thus, 1-Propanol and 2-Propanol are position isomers.