An alkane (Y) requires 8 moles of oxygen for complete combustion and on chlorination with Cl₂ /h , (Y) gives only one monochlorinated product (Z) . The total number of primary carbon atoms in (Y) is __________.

Step-by-step solution

The general formula of an alkane is C_n H_ 2n+2 . The balanced chemical equation for the complete combustion of an alkane is: C_n H_ 2n+2 + ( 3n+1 2 ) O₂ n CO₂ + (n+1) H₂O Given that 8 moles of oxygen are required for complete combustion: 3n+1 2 = 8 3n + 1 = 16 n = 5 The molecular formula of the alkane (Y) is C₅H₁₂ . Since (Y) yields only one monochlorinated product (Z) upon reaction with Cl₂/h , all the hydrogen atoms in the alkane must be equivalent. Among the isomers of C₅H₁₂ (n-pentane, isopentane, and neopenta