Halogenalkanes Flashcards
What is a halogenalkane?
An organic compound where at least one hydrogen in the alkane chain has been replaced by a halogen.
Halogenalkanes can be either primary…
…secondary or tertiary.
How are halogenalkanes named (in what order)?
They are named using the alkane homologous series then by adding a halogen prefix to the longest chain, indicating the position with a number.
The carbon to halogen bond can always be described as what?
Being polar.
In terms of boiling points order these molecules lowest to highest and explain the order: CH3Br, CH3Cl, CH3I.
CH3Cl, CH3Br, CH3I.
This is because I has more electrons than Cl and a larger surface area so stronger London forces and a higher boiling point.
What is a nucleophile?
An electron pair donor.
An electron deficient carbon will attract what?
A nucleophile (such as H2O, OH- or NH3).
Halogenalkanes react in what kind of reaction?
Substitution reactions (nucleophilic).
During nucleophilic substitution on a halogenalkane what gets replaced with what?
The halogen gets replaced by a nucleophile forming a compound with a different functional group.
During hydrolysis of a halogenalkane what is replaced with what?
The halogen is replaced with an OH- ion (hydroxide ion).
What is meant by nucleophilic attact on a halogenalkane?
The carbon (δ+) is attracted by the nucleophile with a lone pair of electrons.
During nucleophilic substitution on a halogenalkane what process breaks the carbon-hydrogen bond?
Hetrolytic fission.
What solvent is used for a halogenalkane reacting with water and why?
Ethanol is used as water and halogenalkanes don’t mix, so it is used as a common solvent.
What compound can we use to monitor the rate of hydrolysis of halogenalkanes?
Silver nitrate (precipitate forms when halide ion is released due to substitution reaction).
What colour are the silver halide compounds?
Cl white.
Br cream.
I yellow.
Reacting halogenalkanes with what hydroxide is a quicker way of forming alcohols than using water in ethanol?
Potassium hydroxide.
How can we monitor the rate of reaction of halogenalkane + KOH?
You can use silver nitrate, however acidification must be carried out first with dilute nitric acid, then silver nitrate can be added.
What kind of reaction is halogenalkane + potassium cyanide?
Nucleophilic substitution.
What is the nucleophile in potassium cyanide?
The CN- ion.
What is the product of a halide group being replaced by a CN group?
A nitrile.
The reaction between potassium cyanide and halogenalkane is carried out under what and in what solvent?
Under reflux and in ethanol.
What happens when ammonia reacts with halogenalkanes?
The halide is replaced with an NH2 group and an ammonium salt is produced.
What solvent is used for the reaction between ammonia and a halogenalkane?
Ethanol.
What is the organic product of a reaction between halogenalkanes and ammonia?
An amine.
How can you stop amine acting as a nucleophile once the halogenalkane and ammonia have reacted?
Add excess ammonia.
Problems of halogenalkane/ammonia reactions?
Lone pair on amine could act as nucleophile and react with starting reagent.
Mixtures form giving a low percentage yield.
The final stage of the reaction is in equilibrium so may not get majority desired product produced.