Interaction | Reaction | Process     Data Page

Chlorination (halogenation) of methane. Industrially, high temperature rather than a radical initiator is used. The reaction is exothermic and there is an explosion hazard.

The reaction gives mixtures of chlorinated products: chloromethane, dichloromethane (methylene chloride), trichloromethane (chloroform), tetrachloromethane (carbon tetrachloride), as well as small amounts of chlorinated ethanes etc.

Industrial Organic Chemistry, 3rd. Ed. K. Weissermel, H.-J. Arpe, VCH (1997)

4
CH4
  +  
10
Cl2
         
CH3Cl
  +  
CH2Cl2
  +  
CHCl3
  +  
CCl4
  +  
10
HCl
Reactant Page Go To Go To
Methane     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Chlorine     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Chloromethane     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Dichloromethane     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Chloroform     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Carbon tetrachloride     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Hydrogen chloride     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming

Interaction, Reaction, Process defined as:
British A-Level Chemistry: AS
Industrial Process: Organic
Radical Substitution

© Mark R. Leach 1999 –

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