Question

Explain the following reaction with an example.

Substitution reaction

Answer 1

The reaction in which replacement of an atom or a group of atoms in a molecule by another atom or group of atoms takes place is called substitution reaction. The substitution reactions of alkanes with chlorine occur in presence of sunlight in which one or more hydrogen atoms of alkanes such as methane are replaced by chlorine atoms.

E.g. \[\ce{CH4 + Cl2 ->[Sunlight] CH3Cl + HCl}\]