Question

Photochemical chlorination of 1,2−dibromoethane gives a mixture of two stereoisomers of c2h3br2cl. draw the structure of one of the products

Answer 1

See the structure at the bottom-left corner of the sketch attached.

Explanation

Replacing an H atom with a Cl atom in a 1,2-dibromoethane molecule produces a molecule of C₂H₃Br₂Cl. Its structural formula is show in the top-left corner of the sketch attached.

The molecule contains no double or triple bonds. It has no E/Z isomers. The two stereoisomers can only be enantiomers. A red asterisk * is placed next to the only chiral carbon in this molecule.

That carbon atom is connected to

• one H atom,
• one Cl atom,
• one Br atom, and
• the alkyl group CH₂Br.

The two isomers are mirror images about this carbon atom. Indicate how the four groups are arranged in space using the wedge and dash notation.

• Solid lines refer to chemical bonds in the plane of the paper.
• Wedges refer to bonds pointing out of the page towards you.
• Dashes refer to bonds pointing into the page away from you.

The last row of this sketch shows the structure of both isomers. The question is asking for only one. Showing either of them should work.