A chemist loads a mixture of three compounds onto a polar alumina column and begins elution with pure hexane.
• Compound M: non-polar alkene
• Compound N: aldehyde
• Compound O: carboxylic acid
After 10 mL of hexane has passed through, no further fractions emerge. The chemist then switches to a 70:30 hexane:ethyl acetate mixture. Which compound is most likely to elute first immediately after the solvent polarity is increased?
a) Compound M
b) Compound O
c) Compound N
d) All three compounds will elute simultaneously