(S)-2-Fluorobutane (CH₃CHFCH₂CH₃) - R or S Configuration
Is (S)-2-Fluorobutane R or S?
(S)-2-Fluorobutane (CH₃CHFCH₂CH₃) has 1 chiral center. A fluorinated alkane. Fluorine has the highest electronegativity but lower atomic number than Cl or Br, making it priority 1 here since it still beats carbon.. The configuration is S based on CIP priority rules.
| Formula | CH₃CHFCH₂CH₃ |
| Name | (S)-2-Fluorobutane |
| Number of Chiral Centers | 1 |
| Configuration(s) | S |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
Chiral Center Analysis
(S)-2-Fluorobutane (CH₃CHFCH₂CH₃) contains 1 chiral center. A fluorinated alkane. Fluorine has the highest electronegativity but lower atomic number than Cl or Br, making it priority 1 here since it still beats carbon.. 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: F - Fluorine (atomic number 9) directly bonded - highest among substituents
- Priority 2: -CH₂CH₃ - Ethyl group: first atom C, second atoms include C (from CH₃) - longer chain wins
- Priority 3: -CH₃ - Methyl group: first atom C, second atoms are all 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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