Question

Name the products formed and write an equation when ethyne is added to the following in an inert solvent:

Chlorine

Answer 1

Ethyne, in an inert solvent like carbon tetrachloride [CCl₄] for example, adds chlorine to change into an ethene derivative with a carbon-carbon double bond and then to an ethane derivative with a carbon-carbon single bond.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{.......}\ce{CH}\phantom{.........}\ce{CHCl}\phantom{.......}\ce{CHCl2}\phantom{.}\\
\ce{|||->[Cl2][(from CCl4)] || ->[Cl2][(from CCl4)] |}\\
\phantom{.........}\ce{\underset{Ethyne}{CH}}\phantom{.......}\ce{\underset{ethene}{\underset{1, 2-dichloro}{CHCl}}}\phantom{..}\ce{\underset{tetrachloro ethane}{\underset{1, 1, 2, 2-}{CHCl2}}}
\end{array}\]

Acetylene reacts vigorously with chlorine gas in the presence of sunlight to give out flames.

\[\ce{C2H2 + Cl2 -> 2C + 2HCl}\]