Haloalkanes Flashcards
Haloalkanes/ Halogenalkanes
- Organic compounds where at least one of the HYDROGEN atoms has been replaced with a HALOGEN atom.
- General formula ~ CnH2n+1X, where X is a halogen
Polarity of Carbon-Halogen bonds
- Halogens are MORE ELCTRONEGATIVE than carbon
- The electron pair in the Carbon-Halogen bond is CLOSER to the halogen atom.
- The Carbon atom is delta + and the halogen is delta -
- All C-X bonds are POLAR
- The C-C and C-H bonds are NON-POLAR as C&H have a very similar electronegativity
What would happen if a OH- ion came into contact with a haloalkane?
- The OH- ion would ATTACK the electron deficient CARBON atom.
- The halogen would be replaced with the OH group.(substitution)
- The OH- ion is a NUCLEOPHILE as it DONATES a pair of electrons to the carbon.
Other possible nucleophiles:
- H2O
- NH3
- CN-
Type of reaction :
NUCLEOPHILIC SUBSTITUTION
Hydrolysis reaction
- Where WATER , OH-(aq) ions or H+(aq) break a compound into two.
HALOALKANE ——————— ALCOHOL
Example ~ chloroethane(aq) with sodium hydroxide
CH3CH2Cl(aq) + NaOH(aq)—CH3CH2OH(aq) + NaCl(aq)
- NUCLEOPHILIC SUBSTITUTION
REAGENTS & CONDITIONS:
- NaOH/KOH
- Heat under reflux
Mechanism for nucleophilic substitution in 3-D:
Hydrolysis of chloroethane with sodium hydroxide
- C-Cl bond is POLAR, carbon is delta+ and chlorine is delta-.
- The OH- ion is ATTRACTED to and ATTACKS C delta+.
- OH- behaves as a NUCLEOPHILE and used a lone pair of electrons to form a COVALENT bond to C delta+
- As the C-O bond FORMS, the C-Cl bond BREAKS
- an electron pair moves on to Cl (HETEROLYTIC FISSION)
PRODUCTS ~ Ethanol + chloride ion
- The groups around the carbon atom attacked by the OH- ion are INVERTED.
- Na + is a SPECTATOR ION so is not included in the mechanism.
Method for comparing the rates of hydrolysis of haloalkanes
- Hydrolyse the haloalkane using ETHANOL so it becomes soluble in water.
- In a separate test tube, add silver nitrate solution (AgNO3).
- Add both of these into a water bath of 60 degrees.
- Add the silver nitrate to the haloalkane mixture and start the stopwatch.
- Stop the timer when the precipitate has formed.
Results of the hydrolysis of haloalkanes practical and what this shows with equations
Iodine:
- 3-5 seconds
- yellow ppt
Chlorine:
- After 20 minutes
- white ppt
Bromine:
- 3-4 minutes
- cream ppt
IODINE is the most reactive as the yellow ppt formed the quickest ~ LOWEST BOND ENTHALPY.
General equation:
CHX + H2O —– CHOH + X- + H+
Precipitation reaction:
X-(aq) + Ag+(aq) —— AgX(s)