Possible Structural Formulas for Chloroanthracene

Introduction:
Anthracene is a tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbon composed of three fused benzene rings. It has the molecular formula C14H10 and a molecular weight of 178.23 g/mol. When one of the hydrogen atoms of anthracene is replaced by a chlorine atom, chloroanthracene is formed. In this question, we are asked to determine the number of possible structural formulas for chloroanthracene.

Explanation:
When one of the hydrogen atoms of anthracene is replaced by a chlorine atom, there are three possible positions where the chlorine atom can be attached. These positions are referred to as alpha, beta, and gamma positions.

Alpha Chloroanthracene:
In alpha chloroanthracene, the chlorine atom is attached to the carbon atom in the alpha position relative to the fused benzene ring. There is only one possible structural formula for alpha chloroanthracene.

Beta Chloroanthracene:
In beta chloroanthracene, the chlorine atom is attached to the carbon atom in the beta position relative to the fused benzene ring. There are three possible structural formulas for beta chloroanthracene.

Gamma Chloroanthracene:
In gamma chloroanthracene, the chlorine atom is attached to the carbon atom in the gamma position relative to the fused benzene ring. There are two possible structural formulas for gamma chloroanthracene.

Therefore, the total number of possible structural formulas for chloroanthracene is 3 (1 for alpha, 3 for beta, and 2 for gamma).

Conclusion:
The correct answer to this question is option A, which states that there are three possible structural formulas for chloroanthracene when one of the hydrogen atoms is replaced by a chlorine atom.