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Organic Chemistry I

Radical substitution

  • 3 things to know
  • Papers 2 and 3

Overview

Radicals and homolytic fission, alkanes reacting with oxygen and with halogens, the initiation, two propagation steps and termination of radical substitution, and why further substitution gives a mixture of products.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Process

What are the three stages of radical substitution?

Key term

Define the term radical.

Key term

Describe what happens during the initiation step of radical substitution.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define the term radical.

    Model answer

    A radical carries one electron that is not paired.

  2. 2

    How is a radical represented in reaction mechanisms?

    Model answer

    By a single dot next to the atom with the unpaired electron.

  3. 3

    What is homolytic fission?

    Model answer

    Homolytic fission is the breaking of a covalent bond where each bonded atom receives one electron from the shared pair, forming two radicals.

  4. 4

    What type of reaction do alkanes undergo with oxygen?

    Model answer

    Combustion reactions.

  5. 5

    By what mechanism do alkanes react with halogens?

    Model answer

    Radical substitution.

  6. 6

    Describe what happens during the initiation step of radical substitution.

    Model answer

    The halogen molecule undergoes homolytic fission caused by UV light, forming two halogen radicals.

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