Which of the following haloalkanes is expected to be the most reactive in nucleo
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following haloalkanes is expected to be the most reactive in nucleophilic substitution reactions? (2023)
Chloroethane
Bromoethane
Iodoethane
Fluoroethane
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following haloalkanes is expected to be the most reactive in nucleophilic substitution reactions? (2023)
Step 1: Understand what haloalkanes are. Haloalkanes are organic compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, and halogen atoms (like iodine, bromine, chlorine, or fluorine).
Step 2: Know what nucleophilic substitution reactions are. In these reactions, a nucleophile (a species that donates an electron pair) replaces a halogen atom in the haloalkane.
Step 3: Recognize that the reactivity of haloalkanes in nucleophilic substitution depends on the strength of the carbon-halogen bond.
Step 4: Compare the strength of the C-X bonds (where X is a halogen). The order of bond strength from weakest to strongest is: C-I < C-Br < C-Cl < C-F.
Step 5: Identify that iodoethane (which contains the C-I bond) has the weakest bond among the haloalkanes listed, making it the most reactive in nucleophilic substitution reactions.
