How many constitutionally isomeric monochlorides can be formed in the free-radical chlorination of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5
The answer is d. 4, but I don't understand why. Whenever I work through the steps I always get 5 (1-chloro-2,2,4-trimethylpentane; 3-chloro-2,2,4-trimethylpentane [forms a stereogenic carbon]; 2-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane; 1-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane). Does the stereogenic molecule only count as 1? I have been counting it as 2 isomers. Is 1-chloro-2,2,4-trimethylpentane considered exactly the same as 1-chloro-2,4,4-trimethylpentane? Thank you for the time!