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haloalkane

haloalkane

9.9
A chemical made when hydrogen atoms in a simple carbon chain are replaced by chlorine or bromine
  • noun
  • /ˌheɪloʊˈælkeɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : haloalcano
  • Many refrigerants belong to the haloalkane class of compounds.

Examples

  • Chloroform is a common haloalkane.

  • The toxicity of a haloalkane depends on the type of halogen atom attached.

  • Researchers analyzed how the haloalkane reacted under exposure to UV light.

  • A haloalkane is a chemical compound.

  • Many refrigerants belong to the haloalkane class of compounds.

  • The toxicity of a haloalkane depends on the type of halogen atom attached.

  • Researchers analyzed how the haloalkane reacted under exposure to UV light.

Synonyms

alkyl halide
vshaloalkane
  • Specialized
6.9

A chemical made when one hydrogen in an alkane is replaced by a halogen

has identical meaning but is an alternative name for the same compound

Surface Forms

haloalkane singular
haloalkanes plural

Morphology

haloalkane = alkane (semi-transparent) = halo + alkane

Meaning is compositionally 'halo-' + 'alkane' (an alkane with halogen substitution), but 'halo-' is a technical combining form unfamiliar to average B1 learners and could be confused with the unrelated common noun 'halo'.

Etymology

The word haloalkane joins halo- and alkane. The halo- part comes from halogen, the group of elements like 'chlorine' and 'iodine', and alkane is a simple chain of carbon and hydrogen, so a haloalkane is an alkane where one or more hydrogens are replaced by 'halogen' atoms, which is exactly what the word means.