Which of the following alkanes will give a single product with a methylene insertion?

Options

A. `Me_(4)C`
B. `CH_(3)CH_(2)CH_(3)`
C. `Me_(2)CHCHMe_(2)`
D. `MeCH_(2)C(Me)_(2)CH_(2)CH_(3)`

Answer

To determine which alkane will give a single product with a methylene insertion, we need to analyze the types of hydrogen atoms present in each alkane. Methylene insertion involves the addition of a CH2 group into the molecule, and the number of unique C-H bonds will dictate the number of possible insertion products.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Alkanes**: We need to look at the given alkanes and identify their structures. For this example, let's assume we have four alkanes labeled A, B, C, and D.

2. **Analyze Alkane A (Me4C)**:
- Structure: CH3-CH3-CH3-CH3 (all four groups are methyl).
- Types of C-H bonds: All C-H bonds are equivalent (primary hydrogens).
- Conclusion: Since all hydrogen atoms are the same, a methylene insertion will yield only one product.

3. **Analyze Alkane B**:
- Structure: CH3-CH-CH2-CH3 (with one secondary hydrogen).
- Types of C-H bonds: There are primary and secondary hydrogen atoms.
- Conclusion: Since there are two types of hydrogen atoms, a methylene insertion will yield more than one product.

4. **Analyze Alkane C**:
- Structure: CH3-CH-CH3 (with one secondary hydrogen).
- Types of C-H bonds: Similar to alkane B, there are primary and secondary hydrogen atoms.
- Conclusion: More than one product will result due to the presence of different types of hydrogen atoms.

5. **Analyze Alkane D**:
- Structure: CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH3 (with primary and secondary hydrogens).
- Types of C-H bonds: There are multiple types of hydrogen atoms (primary and secondary).
- Conclusion: More than one product will result due to the presence of different types of hydrogen atoms.

6. **Final Conclusion**: The only alkane that gives a single product with a methylene insertion is **Alkane A (Me4C)**, as it has only one type of C-H bond.