Classifying Halogenoalkanes
Naming halogenoalkanes
- We use the prefixes
- Fluoro for fluorine
- Chloro for chlroine
- Bromo for bromine
- Iodo for iodine
- The name of the halogenoalkane is based on the orignal alkane
- So CH3CH2CH2Br would be 1-bromopropane
- The position of the halogen atom must be taken into account
- So CH3CH(Br)CH3 would be 2-bromopropane
- Finally the substituents are listed alphabetically
- So CH3CH(Cl)CH2Br would be 1-bromo-2-chloropropane
Classifying halogenoalkanes
- Halogenoalkanes can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary depending on the number of carbon atoms attached to the C-X functional group
- A primary halogenoalkane is when a halogen is attached to a carbon that itself is attached to one other alkyl group
- A secondary halogenoalkane is when a halogen is attached to a carbon that itself is attached to two other alkyl groups
- A tertiary halogenoalkane is when a halogen is attached to a carbon that itself is attached to three other alkyl groups
Primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes