What is the Difference Between Isobutyl and Sec-butyl?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between isobutyl and sec-butyl lies in the arrangement of carbon atoms in their respective molecular structures. Both isobutyl and sec-butyl are derivatives of butane, a four-carbon hydrocarbon, but they have different structures and properties.
- Isobutyl: This group shows its branched structure at the second carbon atom of the carbon chain. It is also known as 2-methylpropyl and has the structure CH3-CH(CH3)-CH2-. Isobutyl forms isobutyl compounds, such as isobutyl alcohol.
- Sec-butyl: This group shows its branched structure at the first carbon atom of the carbon chain. It has the structure CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)- and is also known as 1-methylpropyl. Sec-butyl forms secondary-carbon compounds, such as secondary alcohol.
Both isobutyl and sec-butyl can react with the same reagent to form different products. For example, when reacting with aqueous sodium hydroxide, isobutyl forms 2-methylpropan-1-ol, while sec-butyl forms butan-2-ol in the presence of the same reagent.
Comparative Table: Isobutyl vs Sec-butyl
Isobutyl and sec-butyl are two forms of butyl functional groups, which are derived from butane. The key difference between isobutyl and sec-butyl is the location of the branched structure in the carbon chain. Here is a summary of their differences:
Property | Isobutyl | Sec-butyl |
---|---|---|
Branched structure location | Second carbon atom of the carbon chain | First carbon atom of the carbon chain |
Common name | Isobutyl alcohol | Secondary-carbon compounds |
Both isobutyl and sec-butyl are isomers of one another, meaning they have the same molecular formula but different structures. The butyl functional group is a four-membered chain structure, and there are different forms of butyl groups, such as n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, and t-butyl. The prefixes "iso," "sec," and "t" denote the isomeric forms of the butyl group.
- Tert Butyl vs Isobutyl
- Butane vs Isobutane
- Isobutylene vs Polyisobutylene
- N-butane vs Cyclobutane
- Iso vs Sec in Organic Chemistry
- Butane vs Butene
- 1-Butyne vs 2-Butyne
- 1 Butene vs 2 Butene
- Butyl Cellosolve vs Butyl Carbitol
- Ethyl Alcohol vs Isopropyl Alcohol
- Isopropyl vs Ethanol
- Amyl Alcohol vs Isoamyl Alcohol
- 2 Propanol vs Isopropanol
- Hexane vs Cyclohexane
- Acyl vs Alkyl
- Propane vs Butane
- Cyclobutane vs Cyclopropane
- Ethanol vs Isopropanol
- Isopentane vs Neopentane