Haloalkane (Noun)
Meaning
Organic compound in which halogen atoms have been substituted for hydrogen atoms in an alkane.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The chemical formula for a haloalkane is typically written as CnH(2n+1)X, where X is a halogen atom.
- In organic chemistry, substitution reactions are used to synthesize haloalkanes by replacing hydrogen atoms in an alkane with halogen atoms.
- Haloalkanes are typically insoluble in water and have lower boiling points than their corresponding alcohols due to weaker intermolecular forces.
- A common laboratory solvent and a well-known example of a haloalkane is dichloromethane, also known as methylene chloride.
- Many haloalkanes have been used as anesthetics due to their high lipid solubility, such as halothane and isoflurane.