Halogenoalkanes Flashcards
What are halogenoalkanes?
Alkanes in which one or more hydrogen atom has been replaced by a halogen atom
What is the bonding in halogenoalkanes?
- covalent bonding
- the C-F, C-Cl and C-Br bonds are polar because the halogen atoms are more electronegative than carbon atoms
- the halogen attracts the bonding pair more strongly than the carbon so the halogen has a small negative charge and the carbon has a small positive charge. The bond is polar and has a permanent dipole
Why are halogenoalkanes far more reactive than alkenes?
Because they can attract other ions and molecules with polar covalent bonds
What are the two types of reaction halogenoalkanes undergo?
- substitution reactions: a halogen atom is exchanged for another atom or group of atoms in the halogenoalkane
- elimination reactions: one hydrogen atom and one halogen atom are removed from neighbouring carbon atoms in the molecule and a double bond forms between the two carbon atoms
What are nucleophiles?
Negative ions (anions) or the negative end of a polar covalent bond that has a lone pair of electrons. It will donate electrons
What are nucleophillic substitution reactions?
The nuecleophile’s lone pair of electrons forms a bond with the carbon atom as it replaces the atom or group of atoms that was bonded to the carbon
What do halogens undergo nucleophillic substitution with?
Hydroxide ions, ammonia and cyanide ions
How does nucleophillic substitution by hydroxide ions work?
• the oxygen in a hydroxide ion has three lone pairs of electrons. These are negatively charged areas of high electron density and are attracted to the small positive charge on the carbon on the polar carbon-halogen bond
• the overall reaction between 1-bromopropane and sodium hydroxide solution:
CH3CH2Br + OH- -> CH3CH2CH2OH + Br- ( 1-bromopropane -> propan-1-ol)
• the OH- nucleophile donates one of its lone pairs of electrons to form a covalent bond with the carbon atom. The C-Br bond breaks heterolytically and a bromide ion forms
Draw the mechanism for the nucleophillic substitution of halogenoalkanes with hydroxide ions
Check snap camera roll
What is used to provide the hydroxide ions in the nucleophillic substitution of halogenoalkanes?
Dilute sodium or potassium hydroxide
What are the conditions for the nucleophillic substitution of halogenoalkanes?
The reaction takes place when the reactants are refluxed in a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and water (with one of those straight condensors - snap camera roll)
What determines the reactivity between halogenoalkanes and nucleophiles?
The strength of the carbon halogen-bond. As the size of the atom increases, the bond strength decreases. Weaker bonds are broken more easily and the rate of nucleophillic substitution of the halogenoalkanes increases from chloroalkanes to iodoalkanes
How does the nucleophillic substitution by ammonia with halogenoalkanes work?
- ammonia had three bonding pairs of electrons and one lone pair and nitrogen has a small negative charge because of the electronegativity difference between N and H
- the C-Br bond breaks heterolytically and a covalent bond forms between the carbon atom and the nitrogen atom.
- Overall reaction: CH3CH2CH2Br + NH3 -> CH3CH2CH2NH2 + HBr ( 11-bromopropane-> 1-propylamine)
- the functional group NH2 is an amine
Draw the mechanism for the nucleophillic substitution by ammonia
Snap camera roll
How does the nucleophillic substitution by cyanide ions take place?
- the ion is negatively charged and has lone pairs of electrons on the carbon and nitrogen. The lone pair on car on is more important because it gained an extra electron to give cyanide its negative charge.
- The negative charge of the lone pair of electrons on the carbon in the cyanide group is attracted to the slightly positive charge of the carbon in the carbon-halogen bond
- the carbon of the CN- donates a pair of electrons to the C-Br bond and the C-Br bond breaks heterolytically
- a nitrile and bromide ion form
- overall equation: CH3CH2CH2Br + CN- -> CH3CH2CH2CN + Br- (1-bromopropane -> 1-butanenitrile)
How does the nucleophillic substitution by cyanide ions take place?
- the ion is negatively charged and has lone pairs of electrons on the carbon and nitrogen. The lone pair on car on is more important because it gained an extra electron to give cyanide its negative charge.
- The negative charge of the lone pair of electrons on the carbon in the cyanide group is attracted to the slightly positive charge of the carbon in the carbon-halogen bond
- the carbon of the CN- donates a pair of electrons to the C-Br bond and the C-Br bond breaks heterolytically
- a nitrile and bromide ion form
- overall equation: CH3CH2CH2Br + CN- -> CH3CH2CH2CN + Br- (1-bromopropane -> 1-butanenitrile)
What is used to provide the cyanide ions in the nucleophillic substitution by cyanide ions?
A solution of sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide
Why is the nucleophillic substitution of halogenoalkanes by cyanide ions particularly useful?
Because it is a way of adding to a carbon chain