Chloroalkanes

Chloroalkanes
One or more of the hydrogen atoms in an alkane
molecule has been replaced by a chlorine atom, e.g.
Chloromethane - CH
3
Cl
Dichloromethane - CH
2
Cl
2
Trichloromethane - CHCl
3

Tetrachloromethane - CCl
4


Chloromethane
Dichloromethane
Trichloromethane
Tetrachloromethane
Chloroethane
1,1-dichloroethane
1,2-dichloroethane
Naming chloroalkanes
Last part of name comes from base alkane
on which the molecule is built, e.g.
chloroethane [2 carbons]
Number of chlorine atoms indicated by prefix
mono, di, tri, tetra etc. in front of
chloromethane, e.g. trichloromethane
Position of each chlorine atom given by a
number before the name, e.g.
1,2,2-trichloropropane
1,2,2-trichloropropane
Physical properties
Physical state: Liquid, except for
chloromethane and chloroethane, which are
gases at room temperature
Boiling points higher than the corresponding
alkanes, due to polar C-Cl bond(s)

Physical properties
Not soluble in water
Soluble in non-polar solvents such as
cyclohexane

Uses of chloroalkanes
Because of their lack of polarity, they are
useful solvents, e.g. for
removing grease and oil from machinery
removing oil etc. from clothes - dry cleaning