How Alkanes Form Alkyl Halides by Halogenation

Alkanes can react with halogens to form alkyl halides when heat or light is present. This reaction is called radical halogenation. It is a substitution reaction, which means a hydrogen atom on the alkane is replaced by a halogen atom.

Radical chlorination of methane shows the process clearly. The...

Alkanes react with molecular halogens in the presence of light or heat to form halogenated alkanes.

Such substitution reactions are called radical halogenations, and proceed via initiation, propagation, and termination steps.

Consider the chlorination of methane to produce methyl chloride.

During the initiation step, the chl...