Nomenclature of Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
To name haloalkanes and haloarenes, various nomenclature systems are used, including the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) system and common names.
IUPAC Nomenclature
The IUPAC nomenclature system is the most widely accepted system for naming organic compounds. According to this system, the name of a haloalkane and haloarene consists of the prefix indicating the halogen and the name of the parent alkane, followed by the suffix -ane and -benzene in the case of arenes.
For example, the IUPAC name of CH3Cl is 1-chloromethane, the IUPAC name of CH3CH2Br is 1-bromoethane, and the IUPAC name of C6H5Cl is 1-chlorobenzene.
Learn more about the Nomenclature of Organic Compounds.
Common Names
Common names are an alternative nomenclature system that is often used for simple haloalkanes and haloarenes. In this system, the halogen is named as a suffix is used and preceded by the name of the parent alkane or arene. For example, CH3Cl is commonly known as methyl chloride, and C6H5Cl is commonly known as phenyl chloride.
Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
Haloalkanes and haloarenes are hydrocarbons that have had one or more hydrogen atoms replaced with halogen atoms. The major distinction between haloalkanes and haloarenes is that the former are formed from open-chain hydrocarbons (alkanes), whilst the latter are derived from aromatic hydrocarbons.
Haloalkanes are typically known as alkyl halides, whereas haloarenes are known as aryl halides. Multiple halogen atoms can be found in these substances. In general, halogen atoms are connected to sp3 hybridized carbon atoms in haloalkanes, whereas sp2 hybridized carbon atoms are attached to haloarenes. The variation in the hybridization state of the carbon atom in the C-X bond is responsible for the two families’ distinct properties. Haloalkanes and haloarenes are more chemically reactive than parent alkanes and aromatic compounds due to the presence of halogens. These chemicals have a variety of medical applications as well.