When light is shined on a mixture of chlorine and ethane, chloroethane is formed besides dichloroethane, trichloroethane and several other products. What reaction condition can optimize the yield of chloroethane?
A
Higher reaction temperature
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B
High concentration of chlorine gas
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C
Excess of ethane reactant
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D
Low reaction temperature
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Solution
The correct option is C Excess of ethane reactant The propogation steps in free radical halogenation of ethane will be: CH3CH3+Cl∗→CH3−∗CH2+HCl ...(i) CH3∗CH2+Cl2→CH3−CH2−Cl+Cl∗ ...(ii)
Taking excess of ethane (alkane) increases the probability of H-abstraction of ethane in step (i) above, otherwise H-abstraction from previously formed chloroethane also occurs significantly forming di, tri and polychlorinated products.