Edexcel A Level Chemistry

Halogenoalkanes

Halogenoalkanes have a polar carbon–halogen bond that nucleophiles attack.

Exam Papers

Paper 2

9CH0/02

Specification Points

6.5 – 6.36

10 points covered

Sub-topics

5 lessons

Revision notes available

Exam Board

Edexcel

Pearson 9CH0

Revision Notes

Work through each part of Edexcel Topic 6 in a structured sequence.

Seven types

Reaction Types and Mechanisms

curly arrows, nucleophiles

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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C–X bond

Halogenoalkanes and Bonding

δ+ carbon, bond enthalpy

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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Lone pair attacks δ+

Nucleophilic Substitution

OH⁻, H₂O, NH₃, CN⁻

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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OH⁻ as a base

Elimination Reactions

ethanolic KOH, alkenes

Elimination Reactions of Halogenoalkanes

Elimination of halogenoalkanes: ethanolic KOH, hydroxide as a base, alkene products and isomers, substitution versus elimination.

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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Reaction Memory Game

Reaction memory game: Halogenoalkanes

Turn the cards over two at a time: match reagents to what they make, and find how each product is made.

Play free

A free memory game on the reactions in this topic, with your board's reagents, conditions and spec points.

Two ways to playMatch each set of reagents to what the reaction makes, or see a product and find the reactant and reagents that make it.
Drawn the way the exam draws themEvery structure is drawn in ChemDraw, with the reagents and conditions your exam board asks for.
It countsRounds earn XP and keep your streak going, and every correct match shows in your KASP analytics, apart from your marks.

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Synthesis maps

Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.

Synthesis map · PDF

Halogenoalkanes Map

Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 6D Halogenoalkanes

Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.

Download the map7 reactions · A4 landscape · print ready

Summary map · PDF

Halogenoalkanes Summary Map

Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 6 Organic Chemistry I · 6D 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.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

Specification Coverage

Halogenoalkanes – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

The following specification points outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate for Topic 6.

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6.5

be able to classify reactions as addition, elimination, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis or polymerisation

6C: Alkenes

6.21

know what is meant by the term electrophile

6.23

understand that heterolytic bond fission of a covalent bond results in the formation of ions

6D: Halogenoalkanes

6.30

know that halogenoalkanes can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary

6.31

understand what is meant by the term nucleophile

6.32

understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with:

aqueous potassium hydroxide to produce alcohols, where the hydroxide ion acts as a nucleophile

aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol, where water acts as a nucleophile

iii

potassium cyanide to produce nitriles, where the cyanide ion acts as a nucleophile

ammonia to produce primary amines, where the ammonia molecule acts as a nucleophile

ethanolic potassium hydroxide to produce alkenes, where the hydroxide ion acts as a base

6.33

understand that experimental observations and data can be used to compare the relative rates of hydrolysis of primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes, and chloro-, bromo-, and iodoalkanes, using aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol. Core Practical 4: Investigation of the rates of hydrolysis of some halogenoalkanes.

6.34

know the trend in reactivity of primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes

6.35

understand, in terms of bond enthalpy, the trend in reactivity of chloro-, bromo-, and iodoalkanes

6.36

understand the mechanisms of the nucleophilic substitution reactions between primary halogenoalkanes and aqueous potassium hydroxide, and ammonia

Specification Coverage

Halogenoalkanes – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

The following specification points outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate for Topic 6.

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6.5

be able to classify reactions as addition, elimination, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis or polymerisation

6C: Alkenes

6.21

know what is meant by the term electrophile

6.23

understand that heterolytic bond fission of a covalent bond results in the formation of ions

6D: Halogenoalkanes

6.30

know that halogenoalkanes can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary

6.31

understand what is meant by the term nucleophile

6.32

understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with:

aqueous potassium hydroxide to produce alcohols, where the hydroxide ion acts as a nucleophile

aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol, where water acts as a nucleophile

iii

potassium cyanide to produce nitriles, where the cyanide ion acts as a nucleophile

ammonia to produce primary amines, where the ammonia molecule acts as a nucleophile

ethanolic potassium hydroxide to produce alkenes, where the hydroxide ion acts as a base

6.33

6.34

know the trend in reactivity of primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes

6.35

understand, in terms of bond enthalpy, the trend in reactivity of chloro-, bromo-, and iodoalkanes

6.36

understand the mechanisms of the nucleophilic substitution reactions between primary halogenoalkanes and aqueous potassium hydroxide, and ammonia

Halogenoalkanes

Revision Notes

Reaction Memory Game

Synthesis maps

Halogenoalkanes – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6C: Alkenes

6D: Halogenoalkanes

Halogenoalkanes – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6C: Alkenes

6D: Halogenoalkanes

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