3.3.3 Halogenoalkanes Knowledge Flashcards
how are haloalkanes formed?
Formed by reacting an alkane with a halogen; occurs via the mechanism of free-radical substitution OR electrophilic addition
what is a disadvantage of using free-radical substitution to form haloalkanes?
a wide range of products can form as a result of further substitution; to reduce the amount of further substitution use excess alkane
what is an essential condition for free-radical substitution to form haloalkanes?
UV light
what is a free radical?
a species with an unpaired electron
what are the 3 stages of free-radical substitution?
- Stage 1: Initiation
- Stage 2: Propagation
- Stage 3: Termination
what is the purpose of Initiation in free-radical substitution?
Produces first radicals - homolytic fission - bond broken by UV light
what is the purpose of Propagation 1 in free-radical substitution?
Produces more radicals which continue the chain; halogen radical attacks other molecule and takes a hydrogen. Forms an alkyl radical and hydrogen halide
what is the purpose of Propagation 2 in free-radical substitution?
Alkyl radical produced in step 1 of propagation takes a halogen atom from a halogen molecule (not all of the halogen molecules were split in Initiation). This forms a haloalkane and reproduces the halogen free-radical that started propagation step 1 (acts as a catalyst)
what is the purpose of Termination in free-radical substitution?
two free radicals combine; there are always three possibilities
write the initiation equation for the free radical substitution of this overall equation: CH4 + Cl2 ⇒ CH3Cl + HCl
Cl2 ⇒ 2Cl*
write the propagation 1 equation for the free radical substitution of this overall equation: CH4 + Cl2 ⇒ CH3Cl + HCl
CH4 + Cl* ⇒ HCl + *CH3
write the propagation 2 equation for the free radical substitution of this overall equation: CH4 + Cl2 ⇒ CH3Cl + HCl
CH3 + Cl2 ⇒ CH3Cl + Cl
write the 3 termination equations for the free radical substitution of this overall equation: CH4 + Cl2 ⇒ CH3Cl + HCl
- e.g. CH3 + Cl ⇒ CH3Cl
- e.g. Cl* + Cl* ⇒ Cl2
- e.g. *CH3 + *CH3 ⇒ C2H6
Outline the mechanism for the reaction between F2 and butane to produce 2-fluorobutane
- Initiation: F2 ⇒ 2F*
- Propagation:
- F* + CH3CH2CH2CH3 ⇒ CH3*CHCH2CH3 + HF
- CH3CHCH2CH3 + F2 ⇒ F + CH3CHFCH2CH3
- Termination
- 2F* ⇒ F2
- CH3CHCH2CH3 + F ⇒ CH3CHFCH2CH3
- 2CH3*CHCH2CH3 ⇒ C8H18
Outline a mechanism for the reaction of chloromethane with chlorine to form dichloromethane
- Initiation: Cl2 ⇒ 2Cl*
- Propagation:
- Cl* + CH3Cl ⇒ *CH2Cl + HCl
- CH2Cl + Cl2 ⇒ CH2Cl2 + Cl
- Termination:
- 2Cl* ⇒ Cl2
- 2*CH2Cl ⇒ C2H4Cl2
- CH2Cl + Cl ⇒ CH2Cl2
what is a nucleophile?
electron pair donor
what are curly arrows used to show?
the movement of electrons in mechanisms
what are the rules for drawing curly arrows?
- Must start from: a covalent bond or a lone pair of electrons
- Must go to: a positive/partially positive atom or somewhere a bond is being formed
why do nucleophilic substitution reactions occur?
- Haloalkanes are much more reactive than alkanes because they contain polar bonds
- The C-halogen bond is polar because the halogen has a greater electronegativity than the carbon
- This means that nucleophiles will be attracted to the C atom bonded to the halogen
- As the C bonded to the halogen already has 4 bonds, the halogen atom leaves as the nucleophile forms a bond to the C atom
what is the reagent in a nucleophilic substitution reaction with OH- ions?
NaOH or KOH
what is the condition required for a nucleophilic substitution reaction with OH- ions?
aqueous solvent and RTP
what is the product of a nucleophilic substitution reaction with OH- ions?
Alcohol
what is the process in a nucleophilic substitution reaction with OH- ions?
heterolytic fission
what is the reagent in a nucleophilic substitution reaction with CN- ions?
KCN-