How many isomers of #C_4H_8Cl_2# are here? How do you tell if one structure is an isomer of another?

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Answer 1 · 2016-06-28T00:28:51

I count 13 isomers of #"C"_4"H"_8"Cl"_2#: 9 structural isomers and 4 optical isomers,

I find that the easiest way to tell if one structure is an isomer of another is to write their IUPAC names.

Each isomer will have a unique name.

We use a systematic procedure to generate the structures.

A. Base chain is 1-chlorobutane

1,1-Dichlorobutane

1,1-dichloro

(#R#)- and (#S#)-1,2-Dichlorobutane

1,2-dichloro

(#R#)- and (#S#)-1,3-Dichlorobutane

1,3-dichloro

1,4-Dichlorobutane

1,4-dichloro

B. Base chain is 2-chlorobutane

2,2-Dichlorobutane

2,2-dichloro

(#2R,3R)"-", (2S,3S)#-, and (#2R,3S#)-2,3-Dichlorobutane

3 Optical isomers

C. Base is 1-chloro-2-methylpropane

1,1-dichloro-2-methylpropane

1,1-dichloro

1,2-Dichloro-2-methylpropane

1,2-dichloro

1,3-Dichloro-2-methylpropane

1,3-dichloro