IB Chemistry R3.3 Notes

This page contains our IB Chemistry notes for R3.3. By reading each one of these notes, you will fully cover the content for IB Chemistry 'Electron sharing'.

All Topic 6 Sub-topics

R3.1: Proton Transfer

(HL)R3.1: Further proton transfer

R3.2: Electron Transfer

(HL)R3.2: Further electron transfer

R3.3: Electron Sharing

R3.4: Electron-pair Sharing

(HL)R3.4: Further electron-pair sharing

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Structure of alkanes

The third reaction type you need to know about is electron sharing, which typically takes the form of free radical substitution. This occurs in alkanes because they have no functional group and consist purely of C-C and C-H bonds. As a result, their general formula is C_nH_2n+2.

Due to their structure, alkanes are non-polar so they only have weak London dispersion forces, making them volatile and insoluble in water. However, the high strength of the C-C and C-H bonds makes them unreactive.

Thus, the only reactions they undergo are with very reactive species called radicals. Thus, during free radical substitution, alkanes reacts with halogens in the presence of UV light to form a halogenoalkane and hydrogen halide. For example:

C₂H₆ + Cl₂ → C₂H₅Cl + HCl

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