In: Chemistry
ch4 + 4br2 ---> CBr4 + 4HBr The process is bromination, but the method doesn't make sense. Pls help.
This reaction between methane and bromine happens in the presence of ultraviolet light - typically sunlight. This is a good example of a photochemical reaction - a reaction brought about by light.
CH4+Br2→CH3Br+HBr
The organic product is bromomethane. One of the hydrogen atoms in the methane has been replaced by a bromine atom, so this is a substitution reaction. However, the reaction doesn't stop there, and all the hydrogens in the methane can in turn be replaced by bromine atoms.
The mechanism involves a chain reaction. During a chain reaction, for every reactive species you start off with, a new one is generated at the end - and this keeps the process going.The over-all process is known as free radical substitution, or as a free radical chain reaction.
Br22Br
CH4 + BrCH3 + HBr
CH3 + Br2CH3Br + Br
2BrBr2
CH3 + BrCH3Br
CH3 + CH3CH3CH3
When you still have the reaction molecule in the medium, the reaction will go on until there is no more molecules to react with. That is why your reaction end with the four bromine substituing all the Hydrogens.
For each Br2 molecule present in the medium, the Br will ocuppy te spot of each H in the CH4. and each time there is a substitution of an H by the Br there is a molecule HBr produced, that is why you produce 4 HBr. From each reaction of substitution.
there if you have
CH4+Br2→CH3Br+HBr
CH3Br + Br2 CH2Br2 + HBr
CH2Br2 + Br2 CHBr3 + HBr
CHBr3 + Br2 CBr4 + HBr
If you add all of this equations, the final estequiometry wiil be
CH4 + 4Br4 CBr4 + 4HBr
In each of this reactions that i wrote, it will be a formation of the radical to the propagation therefore the subsitution.