Nitrile hydrolysis to acid, then reduction to primary alcohol Steps:

• Identify the starting nitrile as 2-methylpropanenitrile, (CH3)2CHCN.
• Acid hydrolysis with H+(aq) converts the nitrile to carboxylic acid X by adding H2O across the CN triple bond, yielding (CH3)2CHCOOH.
• Name X as 2-methylpropanoic acid based on the three-carbon chain with a methyl branch at position 2.
• LiAlH4 reduces the carboxylic acid X to alcohol Y, (CH3)2CHCH2OH, where the COOH becomes CH2OH.
• Classify Y as primary alcohol since the carbon with OH attaches to one alkyl group.

Why A is correct:

• Matches the IUPAC name 2-methylpropanoic acid for X and primary classification for Y, per reduction rule RCOOH → RCH2OH.

Why the others are wrong:

• B: 3-methylbutanoic acid has four carbons in chain ((CH3)2CHCH2COOH); Y remains primary, not tertiary.
• C: 3-methylpropanoic acid invalid naming (chain reverts to 2-methylpropanoic); Y primary, not secondary.
• D: Correct name for X but misclassifies Y as tertiary (OH on terminal CH2, not branched carbon).

Final answer: A