Question

Convert methane into chloroform.

Answer 1

Methane reacts with chlorine in diffused sunlight, or when heated to 600 K, to give chloromethane.

\[\ce{CH4 + Cl2 ->[diffused sunlight][or 600 K] \underset{Chloromethane}{CH3Cl} + HCl}\]

\[\ce{\underset{Chloromethane}{CH3Cl} + Cl2 -> \underset{Dichloromethane}{CH2Cl2} + HCl}\]

\[\ce{\underset{Dichloromethane}{CH2Cl2} + Cl2 -> \underset{(Chloroform)}{\underset{Trichloromethane}{CHCl3}} + HCl}\]

\[\ce{\underset{Trichloromethane}{CHCl3} + Cl2 -> \underset{(Carbon tetrachloride)}{\underset{Tetrachloromethane}{CCl4}} + HCl}\]