--%>

How haloalkanes are prepared from hydrocarbons?

Alkyl halides can be prepared from alkanes through substitution and from alkenes through addition of halogen acids or through allylic substitution.
    
From alkanes

When alkanes are treated with halogens, chlorine or bromine, in the presence of light or heat, they undergo free radical substitution and a mixture of mono- and poly- substituted products are obtained.

2242_alkyl halide.png 

Although, the substitution beyond monohalogenation may be suppressed by using alkane in excess yet the method is not of much practical use because of the difficulties of separation of such a mixture.

In case of higher alkanes, different isomeric products are formed even when mono-substitution is carried out.

1702_alkyl halide1.png 

In general, the ease of substitution of different types of hydrogen atoms is:

Benzylic, allylic > tertiary > secondary > primary > vinylic, aryl

The iodination of alkanes is reversible and is done by heating with iodine in the presence of oxidising agents like conc. HNO3HIO4 orHIO3. The function of using such agents is to oxidize HI formed during the reaction to iodine, and hence shift the equilibrium in the forward direction.

264_alkyl halide2.png 

Due to formation of polysubstituted products and isomeric products, this method is not suitable for the laboratory preparation of pure haloalkanes. However, this method can be used for laboratory preparation of certain specific alkyl halides as given below:
    
When all the hydrogen atoms in the alkane are equivalent are equivalent, then it can form only one product on monosubstitution. In such cases this method may be applied.

924_alkyl halide3.png 
    
Allylic and benzylic halides can be prepared from alkenes and arenes respectively by this method because allylic and benzylic hydrogen atoms are substituted much more readily than vinylic and aryl hydrogen atoms.

260_alkyl halide4.png 

In such cases vinylic aryl hydrogens being less reactive do not participate in free radical substitution.

Allylic and benzylic hydrogen atoms are substituted very easily because their substitution proceeds via allylic and benzylic free radicals as intermediates. These intermediates are stabilized by resonance and hence being stable are formed at faster rate.
    
By halide exchange

Iodoalkanes can be obtained by treating bromo or chloroalkanes with a solution of sodium iodine in acetone or methanol. For example,

1778_alkyl halide5.png 

The reaction is known as Finkelstein reaction. This reaction is based on the fact that NaI is soluble in acetone but NaBr and NaCl are not. As a result, equilibrium in the above reaction is very much in favour of forward reaction. The reaction gives best result with primary halides.

Fluoroalkanes are difficult to prepare directly by the action of alkanes with fluorine. It is because fluoride has gor a high reactivity towards the hydrogen. It extracts all the hydrogen atoms from hydrocarbon molecule.

CH4 + 2F2  71_potassium permangnate3.png  4HF + C

However, Fluoroalkanes can be obtained by treating alkyl halides with salts like AgF, Hg2F2, CoF3 or SbF3. This reaction is known as Swarts reaction.

CH3Br + AgF 71_potassium permangnate3.png CH3F + AgBr

2CH3CH2Cl + Hg2F2  71_potassium permangnate3.png  2CH3CH2F + Hg2Cl
2

For replacement of two or three halogen atoms at the same carbon CoF3 or SbF3 is used.

67_alkyl halide6.png

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : Explosions produce carbon dioxide

    Illustrate all the explosions produce carbon dioxide?

  • Q : Diffusion Molecular View When the

    When the diffusion process is treated as the movement of particles through a solvent the diffusion coefficient can be related to the effective size of diffusing particles and the viscosity of the medium.To see how the experimental coefficients can be treat

  • Q : From where the tin is obtained From

    From where the tin is obtained? Briefly illustrate it.

  • Q : Means of molal solution Choose the

    Choose the right answer from following. A molal solution is one that contains one mole of a solute in: (a) 1000 gm of the solvent (b) One litre of the solvent (c) One litre of the solution (d) 22.4 litres of the solution

  • Q : Problem based on molarity Choose the

    Choose the right answer from following. The molarity of a solution of Na2CO3 having 10.6g/500ml of solution is : (a) 0.2M (b)2M (c)20M (d) 0.02M

  • Q : Acid Solutions Choose the right answer

    Choose the right answer from following. Volume of water needed to mix with 10 ml 10N NHO3 to get 0.1 N HNO3: (a) 1000 ml (b) 990 ml (c) 1010 ml (d) 10 ml

  • Q : Molecular Symmetry Types The number of

    The number of molecular orbitals and molecular motions of each symmetry type can be deduced. Let us continue to use the C2v point group and the H2O molecule to illustrate how the procedure develop

  • Q : Symmetry Elements The symmetry of the

    The symmetry of the molecules can be described in terms of electrons of symmetry and the corresponding symmetry operations.Clearly some molecules, like H2O and CH4, are symmetric. Now w

  • Q : Why medications include the hcl Why do

    Why do various medications include the hcl? Describe briefly?

  • Q : What is covalent radii? Explain its

    Average covalent radii can be assigned on the basis of molecular structures. The accumulation of structural data by spectroscopic studies and both electron and x-ray diffraction studies allows one to investigate the possibili