Question

In fructose, the possible optical isomers are:

• A. 12
• B. 16
• C. 8
• D. 4

Hint:

The number of optical isomers is \( 2^n \), where \( n \) is the number of chiral centers in the molecule.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Fructose has multiple chiral centers, leading to the formation of 16 optical isomers. This can be calculated by the formula \( 2^n \), where \( n \) is the number of chiral centers. Fructose has 4 chiral centers, so the number of optical isomers is \( 2^4 = 16 \).

Step 2: Conclusion.
Thus, the correct answer is 16.