Why do higher homologues of alkanes produce multiple products when they react with chlorine in a substitution reaction?
Chlorine replaces hydrogen at different position
In a substitution reaction, sunlight makes chlorine replace hydrogen atoms of a saturated hydrocarbon, one at a time.
Methane has only one kind of hydrogen, but a higher homologue such as propane or butane has hydrogen atoms at several positions in its carbon chain. Chlorine can replace a hydrogen at any of these positions, so a mixture of products forms.
Alkanes do contain hydrogen atoms and are not aromatic.
Hence, the answer is Chlorine replaces hydrogen at different position.
Similar Questions
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Important Questions from Hydrocarbons
Which of the following base is found in soap?
Which one of the following is the general formula of Alkenes?
- \({\rm{C}}{{\rm{H}}_3}{\rm{COOH}}\mathop \to \limits^{LiAI{H_4}} {\rm{A}}\mathop \to \limits^{PC{I_5}} {\rm{B}}\mathop \to \limits^{alc.KOH} {\rm{C}}\) Homologue of ‘C’ in the above reaction is:
Maximum quantity of carbon is present in
Which of the following pair gives 1° carbonium ion by hydrolysis of C-Br bond?
