Haloalkanes have higher boiling points than alkanes due to their polar nature. Among isomeric alkyl halides, boiling point decreases with increased branching in the alkyl group as branching leads to a more spherical shape with less surface area. Bromo, iodo, and polychloro derivatives are denser than water, with density increasing with more carbon/halogen atoms or larger halogen atomic mass. Haloalkanes and haloarenes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents due to inability to form hydrogen bonds with water. Haloalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution, dehydrohalogenation, and reactions with metals. Carbon tetrachloride is produced for refrigerants and aeros

2. Prepared by - Debadatta Mahapatra (MSc)

12. PhysicalPropertiesofHaloalkanes
(a) Melting and boiling point:
Haloalkanes have higher boiling points
as compared to those of corresponding
alkanes. This is due to their polar nature
and strong dipole–dipole interactions
between their molecules.
 Among isomeric alkyl halides, the
boiling point decreases with increase in
branching in the alkyl group.
This is due to the reason that with
increase in branching, the molecule
attains a spherical shape with less
surface area
(b) Density: Bromo, iodo and
polychloro derivatives of
hydrocarbons are heavier than
water. The density increases with
increase in number of carbon atoms,
halogen atoms and atomic mass of
the halogen atoms.
(c) Solubility: Haloalkanes and
haloarenes are practically insoluble
in water because they are not able
to form intermolecular hydrogen
bonds with water molecules.
However, they are soluble in organic
solvents.

13. Chemical Properties of Haloalkanes
The chemical reactions of haloalkanes can be divided into
following types:
(a) Nucleophilic substitution reactions
(b) Dehydrohalogenation or b-elimination reactions
(c) Reaction with metals

31. It is produced in large quantities for use in the manufacture of refrigerants and propellants for aerosol cans. It is
also used as feedstock in the synthesis of chlorofluorocarbons and other chemicals, pharmaceutical manufacturing,
and generally used as a solvent. There is some evidence that exposure to carbon tetrachloride causes liver cancer in
humans.