Final answer:
Chlorination can yield multiple products by substituting hydrogen with chlorine in hydrocarbons. For methane reacting with chlorine, potential products include methyl chloride, methylene chloride, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride. The question, however, contained errors in the molecular structure which makes it impossible to determine the exact number of chlorinated products based on the given structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chlorination of hydrocarbons involves a substitution reaction where hydrogen atoms are replaced by chlorine. In the specific reaction provided by the student, which seems to be an erroneous depiction, the correct balanced equation for methane (CH4) reacting with chlorine (Cl2) should be:
CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl
Further reaction with additional chlorine can yield a mixture of products including methyl chloride (CH3Cl), methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), chloroform (CHCl3), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Each chlorinated product has a different number of chlorine atoms substituted in place of hydrogen. The relative amounts of the products depend on factors such as reaction time, chlorine concentration, and temperature.
Replacing hydrogen atoms with chlorine can occur multiple times, with the potential to form more than one chlorinated methanes. However, the question contains an error in the structure presented, and thus, a clear answer on the number of chlorinated products from the given structure cannot be provided without the correct molecular structure.