Why are optical isomers not found for CH2ClBr?
There is no chiral carbon.
Optical isomers, also known as enantiomers, are molecules that have the same molecular formula and connectivity but differ in their spatial arrangement. In order for a molecule to have optical isomers, it needs to have a chiral center or asymmetric carbon atom.
A chiral center is a carbon atom that is bonded to four different groups or atoms. This arrangement creates a non-superimposable mirror image, which is a characteristic of optical isomers.
Now, let's examine CH2ClBr, which represents a molecule containing one carbon atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms, one chlorine atom, and one bromine atom.
In this case, there is no chiral center present in the molecule since the carbon atom is bonded to two identical hydrogen atoms and two halogen atoms (chlorine and bromine). As a result, the molecule does not possess a mirror image that is non-superimposable, and therefore, optical isomers are not possible for CH2ClBr.
To identify whether a molecule has the potential for optical isomers, it is important to analyze the connectivity of the atoms and the presence of a chiral center.