Haloalkanes and Haloarenes Vocabulary

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering definitions, named reactions, and key concepts from the unit on Haloalkanes and Haloarenes.

Haloalkanes

Organic compounds in which halogen atom(s) are attached to the $sp^3$ hybridised carbon atom of an alkyl group.

Haloarenes

Organic compounds in which halogen atom(s) are attached to the $sp^2$ hybridised carbon atom(s) of an aryl group.

Chloramphenicol

A chlorine-containing antibiotic produced by microorganisms that is effective for the treatment of typhoid fever.

Thyroxine

An iodine-containing hormone produced by the human body, the deficiency of which causes goiter.

Chloroquine

A synthetic halogen-containing compound used for the treatment of malaria.

Halothane

A synthetic halogen compound used as an anaesthetic during surgery.

Primary ($1^\circ$) Alkyl Halide

An alkyl halide in which the halogen atom is attached to a primary carbon atom ($1^\circ$ carbon).

Secondary ($2^\circ$) Alkyl Halide

An alkyl halide in which the halogen atom is attached to a secondary carbon atom ($2^\circ$ carbon).

Tertiary ($3^\circ$) Alkyl Halide

An alkyl halide in which the halogen atom is attached to a tertiary carbon atom ($3^\circ$ carbon).

Allylic Halides

Compounds in which the halogen atom is bonded to an $sp^3$ hybridised carbon atom adjacent to a carbon-carbon double bond ($C=C$).

Benzylic Halides

Compounds in which the halogen atom is bonded to an $sp^3$ hybridised carbon atom attached to an aromatic ring.

Vinylic Halides

Compounds in which the halogen atom is bonded to an $sp^2$ hybridised carbon atom of a carbon-carbon double bond ($C=C$).

Aryl Halides

Compounds in which the halogen atom is directly bonded to an $sp^2$ hybridised carbon atom of an aromatic ring.

Geminal Halides

Dihaloalkanes in which both halogen atoms are present on the same carbon atom of the chain (also called gem-dihalides).

Vicinal Halides

Dihaloalkanes in which halogen atoms are present on adjacent carbon atoms (also called vic-dihalides).

Finkelstein Reaction

The reaction of alkyl chlorides or bromides with $\text{NaI}$ in dry acetone to prepare alkyl iodides.

Swarts Reaction

The synthesis of alkyl fluorides by heating an alkyl chloride or bromide in the presence of a metallic fluoride such as $\text{AgF}$, $\text{Hg}_2\text{F}_2$, $\text{CoF}_2$, or $\text{SbF}_3$.

Sandmeyer's Reaction

The reaction of a freshly prepared diazonium salt with cuprous chloride ($\text{Cu}_2\text{Cl}_2$) or cuprous bromide ($\text{Cu}_2\text{Br}_2$) to replace the diazonium group with $-\text{Cl}$ or $-\text{Br}$.

Ambident Nucleophiles

Nucleophilic groups such as cyanides ($\text{CN}^-$) and nitrites ($\text{NO}_2^-$) that possess two nucleophilic centres and can link through either atom.

Inversion of Configuration

The stereochemical outcome during an $\text{S}_\text{N}2$ reaction where the spatial arrangement of bonds around the carbon atom flips, similar to an umbrella turning inside out.

Optically Active Compounds

Compounds that rotate the plane of plane-polarised light when it is passed through their solutions.

Dextrorotatory

An optically active isomer that rotates the plane of plane-polarised light clockwise (to the right), designated by a positive ($+$) sign.

Laevorotatory

An optically active isomer that rotates the plane of plane-polarised light anticlockwise (to the left), designated by a negative ($-$) sign.

Enantiomers

Stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other.

Racemic Mixture

A mixture containing two enantiomers in equal proportions, resulting in zero net optical rotation.

Racemisation

The process of converting an optically active enantiomer into a racemic mixture.

Retention of Configuration

The preservation of the overall spatial arrangement of bonds around an asymmetric carbon atom during a chemical transformation.

Saytzeff's Rule

A rule stating that in dehydrohalogenation reactions, the preferred product is that alkene which has the greater number of alkyl groups attached to the doubly bonded carbon atoms.

Organometallic Compounds

Compounds containing direct carbon-metal bonds.

Grignard Reagents

Alkyl magnesium halides ($\text{RMgX}$) prepared by the reaction of haloalkanes with magnesium metal in dry ether.

Wurtz Reaction

The reaction of alkyl halides with sodium in dry ether to give hydrocarbons containing double the number of carbon atoms present in the reactant halide.

Wurtz-Fittig Reaction

The reaction of a mixture of an alkyl halide and an aryl halide with sodium in dry ether to form an alkylarene.

Fittig Reaction

The reaction of aryl halides with sodium in dry ether in which two aryl groups join together.

Freons

Stable, unreactive, non-toxic, non-corrosive, and easily liquefiable chlorofluorocarbon compounds of methane and ethane.

DDT

$p,p'$\text{-Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane}, a chlorinated organic insecticide discovered by Paul Muller in 1939.