Which of the following will be dehydrated most readily in alkaline medium?

Options

A.
B.
C.
D.

Explanation

To determine which compound will be dehydrated most readily in an alkaline medium, we need to analyze the structures of the given options. Let's assume the options are various alcohols or compounds containing hydroxyl (-OH) groups.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Compounds**:
- List the compounds provided in the question. For example, let's say the options are:
- A: Ethanol
- B: Propanol
- C: Butanol
- D: 2-Butanol

2. **Understand Dehydration in Alkaline Medium**:
- Dehydration refers to the removal of water (H₂O) from a compound. In an alkaline medium, this process can be facilitated by the presence of hydroxide ions (OH⁻).

3. **Analyze the Structure of Each Compound**:
- Look for compounds with hydroxyl groups that can easily be eliminated. The stability of the resulting alkene after dehydration is crucial.
- For example, in 2-butanol (D), the hydroxyl group is attached to a secondary carbon, which can lead to the formation of a more stable alkene (butene) upon dehydration.

4. **Consider the Leaving Group**:
- The hydroxyl group (OH) is not a very good leaving group. However, in the presence of a strong base (like OH⁻), it can be converted into a better leaving group (water, H₂O) through protonation.
- In the case of 2-butanol, the formation of a double bond after the elimination of water is facilitated by the stability of the resulting alkene.

5. **Evaluate the Compounds**:
- Compare the ease of dehydration for each compound. The one that forms the most stable alkene upon dehydration will dehydrate most readily.
- In this case, 2-butanol (D) is likely to dehydrate more readily due to the stability of the resulting butene.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Based on the analysis, the compound that will be dehydrated most readily in alkaline medium is **2-butanol (D)**.