HALOALKANES AND HALOARENES Q.A.

BY M.A.KHAN EGSSS
10.1 Write structures of the following
compounds:
(i) 2-Chloro-3-methylpentane
(ii) 1-Chloro-4-ethylcydohexane
(iii) 4-tert. Butyl-3-iodoheptane
(iv) 1,4-Dibromobut-2-ene
(v) 1-Bromo-4-sec. butyl-2-methylbenzene.
Ans:
10.2. Why is sulphuric acid not used during the
reaction of alcohols with KI?
Ans: KI is expected to give HI on reacting with
H2SO4 which will convert alcohols (R – OH) to alkyl
iodides (R – I). However,  H2SO4 is a strong
oxidising agent and it oxidises HI formed during the
reaction to I2 which does not react with alcohol.

To solve the problem, H2S04 is replaced by

phosphoric acid (H3P04) which provides HI for the
reaction and does not give I2 as is done by H2S04.

10.3. Write structures of different dihalogen

derivatives of propane.
Ans: Four isomers are possible. These are :
10.5. Draw the structures of major monohalo
products in each of the following reactions:
Ans:

10.6. Arrange each set of compounds in order of

increasing boiling points :
(i) Bromomethane, bromoform, chloromethane,
dibromomethane

(ii) 1- Chloropropane, isopropylchloride, 1-

chlorobutane.
Ans:
(i) The boiling points of organic compounds are
linked with the van der Waals’ forces of attraction
which depend upon the molecular size. In the
present case, all the compounds contain only one
carbon atom. The molecular size depends upon size
of the halogen atom and also upon the number of
halogen atoms present in different molecules. The
increasing order of boiling points is :
CH3Cl(chloromethane) < CH3Br (bromomethane) <
CH2Br2 (dibromomethane) < CHBr3 (bromoform)
(ii) The same criteria is followed in this case. We all
know that the branching of the carbon atom chain
decreases the size of the isomer and this decreases
its boiling point as compared to straight chain
isomer. The increasing order of boiling point is :
(CH3)2CHCl (isopropylchloride or 2-chloropropane)
< ClCH2CH2CH3 (1-chloropropane) <
ClCH2CH2CH2CH3 (1-chlorobutane)
10.7. Which alkyl halide from the following pairs
would you expect to react more rapidly by an SN2
mechanism? Explain your answer.
Ans: In SN2 mechanism, reactivity depends upon the
steric hindrance around the C-atom carrying the
halogen. Lesser the steric hindrance, faster the
reaction.

10.8. In the following pairs of halogen

compounds, which compound undergoes faster
SN1 reaction?
Ans:

10.9. Identify A, B, C, D, E, R and  R1 in the

following:
Ans:

10.10. A hydrocarbon C5H10 does not react with

chlorine in dark but gives a single monochloro
compound C5H9Cl in bright sunlight. Identify the
hydrocarbon.
Ans: The hydrocarbon with molecular formula
C5H10 can either a cycloalkane or an alkene. Since
the compound does not react with Cl2 in the dark,
therefore it cannot be an alkene but must be a
cycloalkane. Since the cycloalkane reacts with Cl2 in
the presence of bright sunlight to give a single
monochloro compound, C5H9Cl, therefore, all the ten
hydrogen atoms of the cycloalkanes must be
equivalent. Thus, the cycloalkane is cyclopentane.

NCERT EXERCISES
10.1. Name the following halides according to the
IUPAC system and classify them as alkyl, allyl,
benzyl (primary, secondary, tertiary), vinyl, or
aryl halides:
(i)(CH3)2CHCH(Cl)CH3
(ii) CH3CH2CH(CH3)CH(C2H5)CI
(iii) CH3CH2C(CH3)2CH2I
(iv)(CH3)3CCH2CH(Br)C6H5
(v)CH3CH(CH3)CH(Br)CH3
(vi)CH3C(C2H5)2CH2Br
(vii)CH3C(Cl)(C2H5)CH2CH3
(viii)CH3CH=C(CI)CH2CH(CH3)2
(ix)CH3CH=CHC(Br)(CH3)2
(x)P-CIC6H4CH2CH(CH3)2
(xi)m-ClCH2C6H4CH2C(CH3)3
(xii)o-Br -C6H4CH (CH3)CH2CH3
Ans: (i) 2-Chloro-3methylbutane, 2° alkyl halide
(ii) 3-Chloro-4methyl hexane, 2° alkyl halide
(iii) 1 -Iodo-2,2-dimethylbutane, 1 ° alkyl halide
(iv) l-Bromo-3, 3-dimethyl -1-phenylbutane, 2°
benzylic halide
(v) 2-Bromo-3-methylbutane, 2° alkyl halide
(vi) 1-Bromo-2-ethyI-2-methylbutane, 1° alkyl
halide
(vii)3-Chloro-3-methylpentane, 3° alkyl halide
(viii) 3-Chloro-5-methylhex-2-ene, vinylic halide
(ix)4-Bromo-4-methylpent-2-ene, allylic halide
(x)1-Chloro-4-(2-methylpropyl) benzene, aryl halide
(xi)1-Chloromethyl-3- (2,2-dimethylpropyl)
benzene, 1 ° benzylic halide.
(xii)1-Bromo-2-(l-methylpropyl) benzene,aryl
halide.
10.2. Give the IUPAC names of the following
compounds:
(i) CH3CH(CI)CH (Br)CH3 (ii) CHF2CBrCIF (iii)
CICH2C=CCH2Br (iv) (CCl3)3CCl
(v)CH3C(p-ClC6H4)2CH(Br)CH3 (vi)
(CH3)3CCH=C(CI)C6H4I -p
Ans: (i) 2-Bromo-3-chlorobutane
(ii) 1 JBromo-1 -chloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane
(iii) l-Bromo-4-chlorobut-2-yne
(iv)2-(Trichloromethyl)-l, 1,1,2,3,3,3-
heptachloropropane
(v)2-Bromo-3,3-bis-(4-chlorophenyl) butane
(vi)l-Chloro-l-(4-iodophenyl)-3,3- dimethylbut-l-
ene.
10.3. Write the structures of the following organic
halogen compounds:
(i)2-ChIoro-3-methylpentane
(ii)p-Bromochlorobenzene
(iii)l-Chloro-4-ethylcyclohexane
(iv)2r (2-Chlorophenyl) -1- iodooctane
(v)2-Bromobutane
(vi)4-tert-Butyl-3-iodoheptane
(vii)1-Bromo-4-sec-butyl-2-methylbenzene
(viii)1,4-Dibromobut-2-ene
Ans:

10.4. Which one of the following has the highest

dipole moment?
(i)CH3CI2 (ii) CHCl3 (iii) CCI4
Ans: The three dimensional structures of the three
compounds along with the direction of dipole
moment in each of their bonds are given below:
CCl4 being symmetrical has zero dipole moment. In
CHCl3, the resultant of two C – Cl dipole moments
is opposed by the resultant of C – H and C – Cl
bonds. Since the dipole moment of latter resultant is
expected to be smaller than the former, CHCl3 has a
finite dipole (1.03 D) moment.
In CH2CI2, the resultant of two C – Cl dipole
moments is reinforced by resultant of two C – H
dipoles, therefore, CH2CI2 (1 .62 D) has a dipole
moment higher than that of CHCl3. Thus, CH2CI2
has highest dipole moment.
10.5. A hydrocarbon C5H10 does not react with
chlorine in dark but gives a single monochloro
compound C5H9CI in bright sunlight. Identify the
hydrocarbon.
Ans: The hydrocarbon with molecular formula C5H,
0 can either a cycloalkane or an alkene.
Since the compound does not react with Cl2 in the
dark, therefore it cannot be an alkene but must be a
cycloalkane. Since the cycloalkane reacts with Cl2 in
the presence of bright sunlight to give a single
monochloro compound, C5H9Cl, therefore, all the ten
hydrogen atoms of the cycloalkanes must be
equivalent. Thus, the cycloalkane is cyclopentane.

10.6. Write the isomers of the compound having

formula C4H9Br.
Ans:

10.7. Write the equations for the preparation of

1-iodoobutanefrom (i)1-butanol (ii)1-
chlorobutane (iii) but-l-ene.
Ans:
10.8. What are ambident nucleophiles ? Explain
with an example.
Ans: Nucleophiles which can attack through two
different sites are called ambident nucleophiles. For
example, cyanide ion is a resonance hybrid of the
following two structures:

It can attack through carbon to form cyanide and

through N to form is O cyanide.
10.9. Which compound in each of the following-
pairs . will react faster in SN2 reaction with -OH?
(i)CH3Br or CH3I
(ii)(CH3)3CCl or CH3Cl
Ans: (i)Since I– ion is a better leaving group than
Br- ion, therefore, CH3I reacts faster CH3Br in SN2
reaction with OH– ion.
(ii)On steric grounds, 1° alkyl halides are more
reactive than tert-alkyl halides in SN2 reactions.
Therefore, CH3CI will react at a faster rate than
(CH3)3CCl in a SN2 reaction with OH– ion.
10.10. Predict all the alkenes that would be
formed by dehydrohalogenation of the following
halides with sodium ethoxide in ethanol and
identify the major alkene:
(I) 1-Bromo-l-methylcyclohexane
(ii) 2-Chloro-2-methylbutane.
(iii) 2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-bromopentane.
Ans:

10.11. How will you bring about the following

conversions?
(I) Ethanol to but-l-yne.
(ii) Ethane to bromoethene
(iii) Propene to 1-nitropropane
(iv) Toluene to benzyl alcohol
(v) Propene to propyne
(vi) Ethanol to ethyl fluoride
(vii) Bromomethane to propanone
(viii) But-l-ene to but-2-ene
(ix) 1-Chlorobutane to n-octane
(x) Benzene to biphenyl
Ans:
10.12. Explain why
(i) the dipole moment of chlorobenzene is lower
than that of cyclohexyl chloride?
(ii) alkyl halides, though polar, are immiscible
with water?
(iii) Grignard reagents should be prepared under
anhydrous conditions?
Ans: (i) sp2-hybrid carbon in chlorobenzene is more
electronegative than a sp3-hybrid carbon in
cyclohexylchloride, due to greater s-character. Thus,
C atom of chlorobenzene has less tendency to
release electrons to Cl than carbon atom of
cyclohexylchloride.
As a result, C – Cl bond in chlorobenzene is less
polar than in cyclohexylchloride. Further, due to
delocalization of lone pairs of electrons of the Cl
atom over the benzene ring, C-Cl bond in
chlorobenzene acquires some double bond character
while the C – Cl in cyclohexy! chloride is a pure
single bond. In other words, C-Cl bond in
chlorobenzene is shorter than in cyclohexyl chloride.
Since dipole moment is a product of charge and
distance, therefore, chlorobenzene has lower dipole
moment than cyclohexylchloride due to lower
magnitude of negative charge on the Cl atom and
shorter C-Cl distance.
(ii) Alkyl halides are polar molecules, therefore,
their molecules are held together by dipole-dipole
attraction. The molecules of H2O are hold together
by H-bonds. Since the new forces of attraction
between water and alkyl halide molecules are
weaker than the forces of attraction already existing
between alkyl halide – alkyl halide molecules and
water-water molecules, thefefore, alkyl halides are
immiscible (not soluble) in water. Alkyl halide are
neither able to form H- bonds with water nor are
able to break the H-bounding network of water.
(iii)Grignard reagents are very reactive. They react
with moisture present in the apparatus to form
alkanes

Thus, Grignard reagents must be prepared under

anhydrous conditions.
10.13. Give the uses of freon 12, DDT, carbon
tetrachloride, and iodoform.
Ans: Iodoform: It was earlier used as an antiseptic
but the antiseptic properties are due to the liberation
of free iodine and not due to iodoform itself. Due to
its objectionable smell, it has been replaced by other
formulations containing iodine.
Carbon tetrachloride:
Uses:
(i)As an industrial solvent for oil, fats, resins etc.and
also in dry cleaning.
(ii)CCl4 vapours are highly non-inflammable, thus
CCl4 is used as a fire extinguisher under the name
pyrene.
(iii)Used in the manufacture of refrigerants and
propellants for aerosol cans.
Freons: Freon-12 (CCl2F2) is most common freons
in industrial use.
Uses: For aerosol propellants, refrigeration, and air
conditioning purposes.
DDT (p -p’ – Dichloro diphenyl – trichloro
ethane):
(i)The use of DDT increased enormously on a
worldwide basis after World War II, primarily
because of its effectiveness against the mosquitoes
that spreads malaria and other insects which
damages crops.
(ii) However, problems related to extensive use of
DDT began to appear in the late 1940 s. Many
species of insects developed resistance to DDT, it
was also discovered to have a high toxicity towards
fishes. DDT is not metabolised very rapidly by
animals, instead, it is deposited and stored in the
fatty tissues. If the ingestion continues at a steady
rate, DDT builds up within the animal’s overtime.
10.14. Write the structure of the major organic
product in each of the following reactions:
Ans:
10.15. Write the mechanism of the following
reaction:

Ans: KCN is a resonance hybrid of the following

two contributing structures:

Thus, CN–  ion is an ambident nucleophile.

Therefore, it can attack the “carbon atom of C-Br
bond in n-BuBr either through C or N. Since C – C
bond is stronger than C – N bond, therefore, attack
occurs through C to form n-butyl cyanide.

10.16. Arrange the compounds of each set in

order of reactivity towards SN2 displacement:
(i) 2-Bromo-2-methyibutane, 1-Bromopentane, 2-
Bromopentane.
(ii) l-Bromo-3-methyIbutane, 2-Bromo-2-
methylbutane, 3-Bromo-2-methylbutane.
(iii) 1-Bromobutane, l-Bromo-2,2-
dimethylpropane, l-Bromo-2-methylbutane, l-
Bromo-3-methyl butane.
Ans: The SN2 reactions reactivity depends upon
steric hindrance. More the steric hindrance slower
the reaction.Thus the order of reactivity will be 1°>
2° >3°

Since in case of 1° alkyl halides steric hindrance

increases in the order) n-alkyl halides, alkyl halides
with a substituent at any position other than the β-
position, one substituent at the β-position, two
substituents at the β-position, therefore, the
reactivity decreases in the same order. Thus, the
reactivity of the given alkyl bromides decreases in
the order:
1-Bromobutane > l-Bromo-3-methylbutane > l-
Bromo-2-methyjbutane> 1-Bromo-2,2-dimethyl
propane.
10.17. Out of C6H5CH2Cl and
C6H5CHCIC6H5which is more easily hydrolysed
by aqueous KOH.
Ans: C6H5CH2Cl is 10 aryl halide while
C6H5CH(CI)C6H5 is a 2° aryl halide. In SN1
reactions, the reactivity depends upon the stability of
carbocations.

Since the C6H5CHC6H5carbocation is more stable

than C6H5CH2 carbocation, therefore,C6H5CHCIC6H5
gets hydrolysed more easily than C6H5CH2Cl under
SN1 conditions. However, under SN2 conditions, the
reactivity depends on steric hindrance, therefore,
under SN2 conditions,C6H5CH2Cl gets hydrolysed
more easily than C6H5CHClC6H5.
10.18. p-dichlorobenzene has higher m.p. and
lesser solubility than those of o-and m-isomers.
Discuss. (C.B.S.E. Delhi 2013)
Ans: The three isomers are position isomers which
differ in the relative positions of the chlorine atoms
in the ring :

As we know, p-isomer is more symmetrical as

compared to the other isomers. This means that in
the crystal lattice, molecules of the p-isomers are
more closely packed as compared to the other
isomers. As a result, it has a higher melting point
and lower solubility as compared to ortho and meta
isomers.
Haloarenes are less polar than haloalkanes and are
insoluble in water. This is because of lack of
hydrogen bonding. As a result, the attractive forces
in haloarenes—water system remain less than the
attractive forces in H20 molecules which are
hydrogen bonded. Haloarenes are soluble in organic
solvents of low polarity such as benzene, ether,
chloroform, carbon tetrachioride etc.
10.19. How the following conversions can be
carried out:
(i) Propene to propan-l-ol (ii) Ethanol to but-l-yne
(iii) l-Bromopropane to 2-bromopropane (iv)
Toluene to benzyl alcohol
(v)Benzene to 4-bromonitrobenzene (vi) Benzyl
alcohol to 2-phenylethanoic acid
(vii)Ethanol to propanenitrile (viii) Aniline to
chlorobenzene
(ix)2-Chlorobutane to 3,4-dimethylhexane (x) 2-
Methyl-1 -propene to 2-chk>ro-2-methylpropane.
(xi)Ethyl chloride to propanoic acid (xii) But-1-
ene to n-butyliodide
(xiii)2-Chlropropane to 1-propanol (xiv)
Isopropyl alcohol to iodoform
(xv)Chlorobenzene to p-nitrophenol (xvi) 2-
Bromopropane to 1-bromopropane
(xvii)Chloroethane to butane , (xviii) Benzene to
diphenyl
(xix) tert-Butyl bromide to isobutyl bromide (xx)
Aniline to phenylisocyanide
Ans:
10.20. The treatment of alkyl chlorides with
aqueous KOH leads to the formation of alcohols
but in presence of alcoholic KOH, alkenes are
major products. Explain. (Pb. Board 2009,
Haryana Board 2013)
Answer:
In aqueous medium i.e., water, KOH will be
completely dissociated to give OH– ions. They being
a strong nucleophile, will bring about the
substitution of alkyl halides to form alcohols. At the
same time, the OH” ions will be highly hydrated
also. They will not be able to abstract a proton (H+)
from the p-carbon atom to form alkenes. In other
words, in aqueous medium, OH– ions will behave as
weak base and elimination leading to alkenes will
not be feasible.
In alcoholic KOH, the solution will also contain
ethoxide ions (C2H5O–) in addition to OH– ions.
They being a stronger base than OH– ions, will
abstract a H+ ion from the β-carbon atom giving
alkene as the product as a result of
dehydrohalogenation.
10.21. Primary alkyl halide C4H9Br (a) reacted
with alcoholic KOH to give compound (b)
Compound (b) is reacted, with HBr to give (c)
which is an isomer of (a). When (a) is reacted
with sodium metal it give compound (d), C8H18
which is different from the compound formed
when n-butyl bromide is reacted with sodium.
Give the structural formula of (a) and write the
equations for all the reactions.
Ans: (i) There are two primary alkyl halides having
the molecular formula, C4H9Br.

(ii) Since compound (a) when reacted with Na metal

gave a compound (d) with molecular formula C8H18
which was different from die compound obtained
when n-butyl bromide was reacted with Na metal,
therefore, (a) must be isobutyl bromide and
compound (d) must be 2,3-dimethylhexane.

(iii) If compound (a) is isobutyl bromide, than the

compound (b) which it gives on treatment with
alcoholic KOH must be 2-methyl-1-propane.

(iv) The compound (b) on treatment with HBr gives

compound (c) in accordance with Markownikoff
rule. Therefore, compound (c) is tert-butyl bromide
which is an isomer of compound (a) ,i.e., isobutyl ‘
bromide.

Thus
(a)is isobutyl bromide,
(b)is 2-methyl-1 -propane,
(c)is tert-butylbromide, and
(d)is 2,5-dimethylhexane.
10.22. What happens when .
(i) n-butyi chloride is treated with alcoholic
KOH.
(ii) bromobenzene is treated with Mg in the
presence of dry ether.
(iii) chlorobenzene is subjected to hydrolysis.
(iv) ethyl chloride is treated with aqueous. KOH.
(v) methyl bromide is treated with sodium in the
presence of dry ether,
(vi) methyl chloride is treated with KCN.
Ans:

BY M.A.KHAN