Total number of stereoisomers of the compound 1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane is:

Options

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3

Explanation

To determine the total number of stereoisomers for the compound 1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane, we will follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the structure of 1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane
1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane is a cyclic compound with a four-membered ring. The bromine (Br) is attached to the first carbon, and the chlorine (Cl) is attached to the third carbon of the cyclobutane ring.

### Step 2: Determine the presence of chiral centers
A chiral center is a carbon atom that is attached to four different substituents. In 1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane, we need to analyze the carbon atoms:
- The first carbon (C1) has Br, H, and two other carbons (C2 and C4) attached, making it a chiral center.
- The third carbon (C3) has Cl, H, and two other carbons (C2 and C4) attached, making it another chiral center.

### Step 3: Count the stereoisomers
For a compound with 'n' chiral centers, the maximum number of stereoisomers is given by the formula \(2^n\).
- Here, we have 2 chiral centers (C1 and C3).
- Therefore, the maximum number of stereoisomers is \(2^2 = 4\).

### Step 4: Analyze the symmetry
However, we must consider the symmetry of the molecule:
- The compound has a plane of symmetry due to the arrangement of the substituents (Br and Cl) and the ring structure.
- This symmetry reduces the number of unique stereoisomers.

### Step 5: Determine the final count of stereoisomers
After analyzing the symmetry, we find that:
- There are 2 unique stereoisomers for 1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane due to the presence of the plane of symmetry.

### Conclusion
The total number of stereoisomers for 1-bromo-3-chlorocyclobutane is **2**.