An aromatic hydrocarbon X with molecular formula C ₈ H ₁₀ is oxidized by hot alkaline KMnO ₄ followed by acidification to give an aromatic carboxylic acid Y . Nitration of Y with HNO ₃/ H ₂ SO ₄ gives a major product Z . If Z contains exactly 5 -bonds, the number of possible structural isomers for hydrocarbon X is

Step-by-step solution

The structural isomers of C ₈ H ₁₀ containing a benzene ring are ethylbenzene, o -xylene, m -xylene, and p -xylene. Oxidation of ethylbenzene with hot alkaline KMnO ₄ followed by acidification yields benzoic acid. Nitration of benzoic acid yields m -nitrobenzoic acid as the major product. The number of -bonds in m -nitrobenzoic acid is 3 (benzene ring) + 1 ( - COOH group) + 1 ( - NO ₂ group) = 5 . Oxidation of the xylenes ( o -, m -, and p -) yields the corresponding benzenedicarboxylic acids (phthalic, isophthalic