How do you account for the formation of ethane during the chlorination of methane?

Vedclass pdf generator app on play store
Vedclass iOS app on app store
(N/A) The chlorination of methane proceeds via a free radical chain mechanism,which involves three steps:
Step $1$: Initiation: The reaction begins with the homolytic cleavage of the $Cl-Cl$ bond: $Cl-Cl \xrightarrow{hv} 2\overset{\centerdot }{Cl}$.
Step $2$: Propagation: Chlorine free radicals attack methane molecules to generate methyl radicals: $CH_{4} + \overset{\centerdot }{Cl} \to \overset{\centerdot }{CH_{3}} + HCl$. These methyl radicals then react with $Cl_{2}$ to form methyl chloride: $\overset{\centerdot }{CH_{3}} + Cl-Cl \to CH_{3}Cl + \overset{\centerdot }{Cl}$.
Step $3$: Termination: The chain reaction terminates when free radicals combine. Ethane is formed by the combination of two methyl radicals: $\overset{\centerdot }{CH_{3}} + \overset{\centerdot }{CH_{3}} \to CH_{3}-CH_{3}$ (Ethane). Thus,ethane is obtained as a minor by-product during the termination step.

Explore More

Similar Questions

Which of the following has the highest boiling point?

Give the complete and incomplete combustion reactions of heptane and nonane.

Which reactive intermediate is involved in the following reaction?
$2-\text{methylbutane} \xrightarrow{Br_2, hv} 2-\text{bromo}-3-\text{methylbutane}$ (not the major product)

Difficult
View Solution

The alkane that gives only one mono-chloro product on chlorination with $Cl_2$ in the presence of diffused sunlight is:

What is $Z$ in the following reaction?
$CH_3-CH_2-CO_2^{\ominus} Na^{\oplus} \stackrel{NaOH / CaO}{\longrightarrow} Z$

Vedclass Products

For Students

Vedclass Test Series

Mock tests in real JEE/NEET style with performance analysis. 5-day free trial.

Start Free Trial
For Teachers

Exam Paper Generator

Generate Set A/B/C/D exam papers from 7.5L+ questions in 2 minutes. 3 chapters free.

Try Free
For Institutes

Online Exam Module

Live online exams with unlimited students, 360° analytics & white-label branding.

See Demo