Nitriles hydrolyze to carboxylic acids with acid or base

Steps:

• Target product is 2-methylbutanoic acid: CH3CH2CH(CH3)COOH.
• Nitriles undergo hydrolysis (R-CN → RCOOH) with single reagent like H3O+ or OH-/H+.
• 2-Methylbutanenitrile is NC-CH(CH3)CH2CH3, so R = CH(CH3)CH2CH3 matches the acid's chain.
• Other options lack this direct conversion or produce wrong products.

Why C is correct:

• Hydrolysis converts the -CN group of 2-methylbutanenitrile to -COOH, yielding exactly 2-methylbutanoic acid.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Pentan-2-one is a ketone that does not hydrolyze or oxidize to a carboxylic acid with one reagent.
• B: 2-Methylbutan-2-ol is a tertiary alcohol that resists oxidation to carboxylic acids.
• D: 2-Methylpropanenitrile hydrolyzes to 2-methylpropanoic acid, which has a shorter carbon chain.

Final answer: C