Alkyl Halides

Alkyl halides, or haloalkanes, are organic compounds comprised of an alkyl group and a halogen atom bonded to an sp³ hybridized carbon.

Each carbon atom is defined by its proximity to the halogen atom. The carbon bonded directly to the halogen is denoted “alpha-carbon”; the carbon next to it is called “beta-carbon” and so forth.

Depending on the number of alkyl groups on the alpha carbon, alkyl halides are further classified as primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Nomenclature of alkyl halides follows similar IUPAC rules as for alkanes. Halogens are regarded as substituents and named fluoro-, chloro-, bromo-, and iodo-.

First, count the carbons on the longest chain. Here, five corresponds to pentane. Secondly, find and name the substituents. Here it is bromo-, chloro-, and methyl.

Next, number the parent chain and assign a locant to the substituents giving them the lowest possible number. Lastly, assemble the substituents alphabetically. This compound is called 4-bromo-1-chloro-4-methyl pentane.

If the chain contains a double bond, the double bond has precedence and obtains the lowest number giving the compound 3-fluoro-1-butene.

If a molecule is cyclic, chiral, and with multiple subs