Halogenoalkanes - Introduction
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
Examiner Tip
You are also expected to be able to draw structural, displayed and skeletal formulae of halogenoalkanes