Effect of Halogens As the halogen changes from Fluorine to Iodine, the polarity of the C-H bond decreases, and

this is expected to reduce the rate of the reaction. The strength of the C-H bond decreases from chlorine to Iodine, which would increase the rate of the reaction. Experimentally, rate of hydrolysis is greater for Iodo-alkanes than for Chloroalkanes. Nature of the Hallide: Under mechanism, in tertiary carbo-cations, the inductive effect of the alkyl groups stabilises the carbo-cation, favouring SN1. SN2 mechanism requires the nucleophile attacking the central atom from the direction opposite to the halogen. Tertiary compounds with bulky alkyl groups hinder such attacks. The change from Tetrahedral to trigonal planar geometry when the carbon cation forms increases the bond angle from 109 degrees to 112. This allows the alkyl groups to move further apart, stabilizing the carbo cation by reducing steric stress Reaction Pathways: Alkane to Halogeno Alkane