Question

What is the action of the following reagents on bromomethane?

Mercurous fluoride

Answer 1

Mercurous fluoride (Hg₂F₂) is a source of fluoride ions (F⁻), which can participate in a halide exchange reaction with bromomethane (CH₃Br) through a Finkelstein reaction.

\[\ce{CH3Br + Hg2F2 -> CH3F + HgBr2}\]

Fluoride ion replaces bromine in bromomethane. This results in the formation of fluoromethane and mercurous bromide as a byproduct.