Four drops of 1-chlorobutane, 1-bromobutane and 1-iodobutane were put separately into three test-tubes containing 1.0 cm3 of aqueous silver nitrate at 60 °C.
A hydrolysis reaction occurred.
R represents the butane chain C4H9– and X the halogen atom.
H2O (l) + R–X (l) + Ag+ (aq) R–OH (aq) + AgX (s) + H+ (aq)
The rate of formation of cloudiness in the tubes was in the order RCl < RBr < RI
Why is this?
The R–X bond polarity decreases from RCl to RI.
The solubility of AgX (s) decreases from AgCl to AgI.
The ionisation energy of the halogen decreases from Cl to I.
The bond energy of R–X decreases from RCl to RI.