Predicting the products of the radical chlorination of propane

**Question:**



> 
> When propane reacts with chlorine, two different monochloropropanes are formed.
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> 
> a) Name and show the full structural formulae of the two products.  
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> b) What kind of isomerism is shown?
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> 
> 


Based on my understanding, the answer for part a is $\ce{2C8H18 + Cl2 -> 2C8H17Cl +H2}$.


Name: chloropropane, formula: $\ce{CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH(Cl)}$.


For part b, is it structural isomerism? Are my answers correct?




Let me give you two helpful hints.



> 
> Propane
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> 
> 


If you use an internet search tool of your choice, you should quickly find out that propane is $\ce{C3H8}$, which has the structure $\ce{CH3CH2CH3}$. The formula and structure you are using is octane. The product you drew, 1-chlorooctane $\ce{CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2Cl}$, is one of the monochlorination products of octane, so you should feel good about being able to correctly apply the reaction type and produce a correct product.



> 
> What is the question asking?
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> 
> 


A careful read of the intro part of the question `When propane reacts with chlorine, two different monochloropropanes are formed` indicates that we should be expecting two different organic products with chlorine atoms attached to the carbon skeleton. In other words this reaction should give two products with the formula $\ce{C3H7Cl}$. 


However, part a) is not worded well to indicate that you mostly likely are to draw the structures of the two monochloropropane products. You are correct in noting that a radical halogenation reaction will have two products, though the inorganic byproduct is usually considered to be $\ce{HCl}$ and not $\ce{H2}$ or $\ce{H2O}$. 


$$\ce{C3H8 + Cl2 -> C3H7Cl + HCl}$$


So let me ask your question in a clearer way: 



> 
> Propane reacts with chlorine to produce two different monochlorination products with the formula $\ce{C3H7Cl}$. (a) Draw the structures of both monochlorination products and provide their names. (b) Identify the type of isomeric relationship that exists between the two structures that you drew in (a).
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> 
> 


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