Topic 10B
Halogenoalkanes
Halogenoalkanes have a polar carbon–halogen bond that nucleophiles attack. These pages set out the reaction types and the language of mechanisms, name and classify halogenoalkanes, draw the nucleophilic substitution mechanism with hydroxide, water, ammonia and cyanide, contrast substitution with elimination, and explain the rates of hydrolysis measured with silver nitrate.
Revision Notes
5 revision notes, in the order the specification teaches them.
Reaction Types, Mechanisms and Nucleophiles
Organic reaction types and mechanisms: addition, elimination, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, polymerisation, curly arrows, heterolytic fission, electrophiles, nucleophiles and bond polarity.
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Halogenoalkanes: Naming, Classification and the C–X Bond
Halogenoalkanes: nomenclature and formulae, primary, secondary and tertiary, the polar carbon–halogen bond, bond enthalpies and uses.
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Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions
Nucleophilic substitution of halogenoalkanes: hydroxide, water, ammonia and cyanide as nucleophiles, conditions, products and the curly-arrow mechanism.
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Elimination Reactions of Halogenoalkanes
Elimination of halogenoalkanes: ethanolic KOH, hydroxide as a base, alkene products and isomers, substitution versus elimination.
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Rates of Hydrolysis and Bond Enthalpy
Rates of hydrolysis of halogenoalkanes: the silver nitrate experiment, precipitate colours, bond enthalpy trend for C–Cl, C–Br and C–I, and primary, secondary and tertiary comparison.
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Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.
Summary maps
Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.
Halogenoalkanes Map
Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 2 · Topic 10
Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.
Halogenoalkanes Summary Map
Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 2 · Topic 10B Halogenoalkanes
The whole section on one A4 page: reaction types and nucleophiles, names and classes, substitution by hydroxide, water, ammonia and cyanide, elimination, and rates of hydrolysis.
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Specification
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10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
- 10.5
understand the link between bond polarity and the type of reaction mechanism a compound will undergo
Revise
10.6
10.7
10.8
- i
understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with: aqueous alkali, including KOH(aq) to produce alcohols (where the hydroxide ion acts as a nucleophile)
Revise - ii
understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with: ethanolic potassium hydroxide to produce alkenes by an elimination reaction (where the hydroxide ion acts as a base)
Revise - iii
understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with: aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol (where water acts as a nucleophile)
Revise - iv
understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with: alcoholic ammonia under pressure to produce amines (where the ammonia acts as a nucleophile)
Revise - v
understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with: alcoholic potassium cyanide to produce nitriles (where the cyanide ion acts as a nucleophile) Students should know this is an example of increasing the length of the carbon chain.
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10.9
- i
understand the mechanisms of the nucleophilic substitution reactions between primary halogenoalkanes and: aqueous potassium hydroxide
Revise - ii
understand the mechanisms of the nucleophilic substitution reactions between primary halogenoalkanes and: ammonia SN1 and SN2 substitution mechanisms will be tested in Unit 4.
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10.10
- i
understand that experimental observations and data can be used to compare the relative rates of hydrolysis of: primary, secondary and tertiary structural isomers of a halogenoalkane
Revise - ii
understand that experimental observations and data can be used to compare the relative rates of hydrolysis of: primary chloro-, bromo- and iodoalkanes using aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol
Revise
10.11
10.12
10.13
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