What are the products when methane reacts with chlorine under UV light?

What are the products when methane reacts with chlorine under UV light?

• A. Chloromethane and hydrogen chloride
• B. Methane and chlorine
• C. Chloromethane and chlorine
• D. Carbon tetrachloride and hydrogen

Answer: (A)

UV light energizes chlorine molecules, breaking them into chlorine radicals. These radicals kick off a chain process where one hydrogen atom from methane is replaced by chlorine, producing chloromethane and hydrogen chloride as the immediate products: CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl. The appearance of HCl comes directly from the hydrogen that’s pulled off methane and couples with chlorine to form the acid gas. This is the first chlorination step; further chlorination could lead to more highly chlorinated products, but the primary outcome of this UV-initiated reaction is chloromethane and hydrogen chloride.

UV light energizes chlorine molecules, breaking them into chlorine radicals. These radicals kick off a chain process where one hydrogen atom from methane is replaced by chlorine, producing chloromethane and hydrogen chloride as the immediate products: CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl. The appearance of HCl comes directly from the hydrogen that’s pulled off methane and couples with chlorine to form the acid gas. This is the first chlorination step; further chlorination could lead to more highly chlorinated products, but the primary outcome of this UV-initiated reaction is chloromethane and hydrogen chloride.