Question

Give an example of substitution reactions.

Answer 1

The action of methane with chlorine in the presence of sunlight.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\ce{H}\phantom{........................}\ce{H}\phantom{.......}\\
\phantom{..}|\phantom{.........................}|\phantom{.........}\\
\ce{H - C - H + Cl2 ->[diffused][sunlight] H - C - Cl + HCl}\\
\phantom{..}|\phantom{.........................}|\phantom{.........}\\
\ce{\underset{methane}{H}}\phantom{.................}\ce{\underset{Chloromethene}{H}\phantom{.....}}\\
\end{array}\]

A chlorine atom replaces one atom of hydrogen to form chloro-methane.