Final answer:
The correct statement is A: All carbon atoms of trans, trans-2,4-hexadienal are sp² hybridized. This includes carbon atoms in double bonds and the aldehyde carbon atom connected to oxygen and hydrogen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The molecule in question is trans, trans-2,4-hexadienal. To determine the hybridization of carbon atoms in the molecule, we need to examine the bonds each carbon atom forms. For alkenes, carbon atoms involved in double bonds are typically sp² hybridized, exhibiting trigonal planar geometry, whereas carbon atoms involved in triple bonds are sp hybridized, displaying a linear geometry.
However, in the given molecule, there is no mention of a triple bond; the molecule is a diene, which means it has two double bonds. Therefore, the carbon atoms participating in the double bonds as well as those at the ends involved in single bonds (except for the aldehyde carbon which is also connected to an oxygen atom through a double bond) would be sp² hybridized. The carbon atom of the aldehyde functional group is also sp² hybridized because it is connected to two other atoms, hydrogen and oxygen, in addition to the double bond with the oxygen. This implies that a majority of the carbon atoms in this molecule are sp² hybridized unlike the initial solution hint which incorrectly mentioned sp hybridization in association with a triple bond.
Based on the correct molecular structure of trans, trans-2,4-hexadienal, all carbon atoms in the molecule exhibit sp² hybridization as they are either involved in a double bond or in the case of the aldehyde carbon, a double bond with oxygen and a single bond with hydrogen.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
A. All carbon atoms of this molecule are sp² hybridized.