--%>

Explain polyhalogen compounds with examples.

Carbon compounds containing more than one halogen atom are called polyhalogen compounds. Most of these compounds are valuable in industry and agriculture. Some important polyhalogen compounds are described as follows:

    
Dichloromethane or methylene chloride, CH3Cl2

Dichloromethane is prepared industrially by direct chlorination of methane. The mixture of CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl2 and CCl4 so obtained is separated by fractional distillation.

Properties

Dichloromethane is a sweet smelling volatile liquid and its boiling point is 313 K.

Dichloromethane harms the human central nervous system. Exposure to lower levels of dichloromethane in air can lead to slightly impaired hearing and vision. Higher levels of dichloromethane in air can cause dizziness, nauses and numbness in the fingers and toes. Direct skin contact with methylene chloride causes strong burning and mild redness to the skin. Direct contact with eyes can burn cornea.

Uses
    
Because of its low boiling point and low inflammability it is used as extraction solvent in pharmaceutical and food industries. It is also used as solvent for carrying out many organic reactions in research laboratories.
    
It is used as a metal finishing and cleaning solvent.
    
It is also used as a propellent in aerosols.
    
Trichloromethane (Chloroform), CHCl3 

Preparation
    
From methane: chloroform is manufactured by chlorination of methane in the presence of light or catalysts.
1278_polyhalogen compounds.png                                     


The mixture of CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and CCl4 can be separated by fractional distillation.
    
From chloral hydrate, pure chloroform can be obtained by distilling chloral or chloral hydrate with concentrated aqueous solution or KOH solution.
                    
NaOH + CCl3CHO  1950_electrode potential.png  HCOONa + CHCl2
             
NaOH + CCl3CH(OH)2  1950_electrode potential.png  HCOOna + CHCl3 + H2O

    
Laboratory method: in this method chloroform is obtained from ethanol or acetone by reaction with a paste of bleaching powder and water.

In this reaction, bleaching powder serves as a source of chlorine which first oxidizes ethanol acetaldehyte, which is then further chlorinated to chloral. Chloral reacts with Ca(OH)2, given by CaOCl2, to give chloroform and calcium formate.

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : Explain Rotational Vibrational Spectra

    The infrared spectrum of gas samples shows the effect of rotational-energy changes along with the vibrational energy change.As we know from the interpretations given to thermodynamic properties of gases, gas molecules are simultaneously rotating and vibrating. It follows that an absor

  • Q : Some basic concepts of chemistry an

    an atom of an element is 10.1 times heavier than the mass of a carbon atom.What is its mass in amu?

  • Q : Death cap musrooms the death cap

    the death cap mushroom based on your knowledge of the biochemistry of dna and rna

  • Q : Why acetic has less conductivity than

    Illustrate the reason, why acetic has less conductivity than Hcl?

  • Q : Explanation of oxygen family. Group 16

    Group 16 of periodic

  • Q : Calculating density of water using

    What is the percent error in calculating the density of water using the ideal gas law for the following conditions:  a. 110 oC, 1 bar   b. 210 oC 10 bar  c. 374 o

  • Q : Problem on Adiabatic expansion

    Calculate the change in entropy for the system for each of the following cases. Explain the sign that you obtain by a physical argument a) A gas undergoes a reversible, adiabatic expansion from an initial state at 500 K, 1 MPa, and

  • Q : Equimolar solutions Select the right

    Select the right answer of the question. Equimolar solutions in the same solvent have : (a)Same boiling point but different freezing point (b) Same freezing point but different boiling poin (c)Same boiling and same freezing points (d) Different boiling and differe

  • Q : Theory of three dimensional motion

    Partition function; that the translational energy of 1 mol of molecules is 3/2 RT will come as no surprise. But the calculation of this result further illustrates the use of quantized states and the partition function to obtain macroscopic properties. The partition fu

  • Q : Relative lowering of the vapour pressure

    Choose the right answer from following.The relative lowering of the vapour pressure is equal to the ratio between the number of: (a) Solute moleules and solvent molecules (b) Solute molecules and the total molecules in the solution (c) Solvent molecules and the tota