Chapter 4: Alcohols and Alkyl Halides

Summary

Alcohols (R-OH), and alkyl halides, R-X (X = F, Cl, Br or I) are important functional groups as they are fundamental building blocks (starting materials, reagents) for the synthesis of more complex organic materials.

Alkyl halides can be prepared via substitution reactions:

• Radical halogentaion of alkanes R-H + X₂ ® R-X  + HX
• Reaction of alcohols with hydrogen halides, R-OH + HX ® R-X + H₂O
• Reaction of alcohols with reagents such as SOCl₂, PCl₃, PBr₃

• What is a functional group ?
• List of functional groups
• Sample questions

• Nomenclature
• Physical Properties
• Structure
• Reactivity
• Acidity

• Nomenclature
• Physical Properties
• Structure
• Reactivity

• Overview
• S_N1
• More about Carbocations : hyperconjugation, inductive effects
• S_N2
• Sample questions

• Overview
• More about Radicals
• Reaction Mechanism
• Selectivity of Radical halogenations
• Radical Halogenation of Alkanes
• Sample questions

• Reaction of Alcohols with Hydrogen Halides
• Reaction of Alcohols with other Halogenating agents (SOCl₂, PX₃)
• Radical Halogenation of Alkanes

© Dr. Ian Hunt, Department of Chemistry