For the chlorination of propane, the two isomers shown here are possible.

Propane has six hydrogen atoms on terminal carbon atoms—called primary (1°) hydrogen atoms—and two hydrogen atoms on the interior carbon atom—called secondary (2°) hydrogen atoms.

a. If the two different types of hydrogen atoms were equally reactive, what ratio of 1-chloropropane to 2-chloropropane would we expect as monochlorination products?

b. The result of a reaction yields 55% 2-chloropropane and 45% 1-chloropropane. What can we conclude about the relative reactivity of the two different kinds of hydrogen atoms? Determine a ratio of the reactivity of one type of hydrogen atom to the other.

Transcribed Image Text:

CH3CH₂CH3 + Cl₂ Cl CH3 -CH₂-CH₂-Cl + CH3-CH-CH3 2-Chloropropane 1-Chloropropane