Alkanes Flashcards
1
Q
what reaction do alkanes take part in?
A
substitution reactions with halogens in the presence of sunlight or UV light.
2
Q
what is the curly half arrow used to represent?
A
the movement of a single electron
3
Q
what is homolytic fission?
A
- the breaking of a covalent bond to produce two free radicals
- results in the formation of two neutral radicals
- occurs when each atom retains one electron of the sigma covalent bond and breaks evenly
- normally occurs when non-polar covalent bonds are broken
4
Q
what is heterolytic fission?
A
- occurs when a covalent bond breaks and both electrons in the bond move to one of the atoms
- results in two oppositely charged ions being formed
5
Q
what is the full curly arrow used to represent?
A
the movement of a pair of electrons
6
Q
when is heterolytic fission more likely to occur?
A
when a bond is already polar
