Which of the Following Compounds is Likely to Have an Unpleasant

Question

Which of the following compounds is likely to have an unpleasant odor?
A) CH3CH2OH
B) CH3CH2OCH2CH3
C) CH3CH2SH
D) HOCH2CH2OH

Accepted Answer

The compound CH3(CH2)11SOH (also known as 1-undecanethiol) has a strong unpleasant odor, similar to rotten eggs. It is therefore likely that a compound with a similar structure, such as CH3(CH2)11SH (option C), would also have an unpleasant odor. The other compounds in the options do not contain a thiol group (R-SH), which is responsible for the characteristic odor.