Question

Which of the following compounds has one or more asymmetric carbons?

Short answer

Compound A has one asymmetric center, C has 1 and E has 2 asymmetric centers.

Step-by-step solution

What is asymmetric center?

Asymmetric center is also called chiral center or chiral carbon. It is the carbon at which all the four groups are different where two are in plane, one is out of plane and one is inward of plane.

Explanation for compound A, C and E

Compound A has one chiral carbon which is attached to branched chain because at that carbon one is hydrogen, one is CH₃, one is CH₂CH₂CH₂-CHCH and last group is -CHCHCH₂CH₂CH₂.

Compound C has one one chiral carbon which is attached to branched chain because at that carbon one group is hydrogen, one is CH₃, one is CH₂CHCHCH₂CH₂ and the last group is CH₂CH₂CHCHCH₂.

Compound E has two chiral carbon which is attached to branched chain because at the first chiral carbon, one group is hydrogen, one group is -CH₃, one is CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH(CH₃) and last group is CH(CH₃)CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂. While for second chiral carbon, arrangements of atoms are same.

Conclusion

Thus, compound A has one chiral center Carbon has also one chiral center while, E has two chiral centers.