Mechanism of Monochlorination of Methane - Propagation (2)
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What first happens in this step?
A methyl free radical attacks a chlorine molecule to form chloromethane and a chlorine atom
What is formed when a methyl free radical attacks a chlorine molecule?
Chloromethane and a chlorine atom are formed
What reaction forms chloromethane and a chlorine atom?
When a methyl free radical attacks a chlorine molecule
What can the newly formed chlorine atom then do?
It can react with another molecule of methane (like in step 2) which sets up a chain reaction
What is a chain reaction?
A chain reaction is a reaction that continues on and on because a product from one step of the reaction is a reactant for another step of the reaction
How is the chain reaction set up? 3
In this step the methyl free radical formed in step two attacks a chlorine molecule to form a chlorine atom This chlorine atom can attack a methane molecule to form a methyl free radical (step 2) This sets up the chain reaction
Why are stages 2 and 3 referred to as the propagation stage?
Because they keep the chain reaction in operation to generate the chloromethane