Fluorination, Chlorination and Bromination of Methane.
Transition State Structures for H-Abstraction.The transitions state structures for the H-abstraction from methane by fluorine, chlorine and bromine have been determined with quantum-mechanical methods and the structures can be viewed with CHIME.
Transition States For Hydrogen Abstraction
fluorine radical abstracts from methane
chlorine radical abstracts from methane
bromine radical abstracts from methane
F
Cl
Br
C-H in TS
1.153
1.438
1.600
C-H in CH
41.085
1.085
1.085
delta(C-H)
_____
_____
_____
H-X in TS
1.350
1.431
1.527
H-X in HX
0.934
1.280
1.436
delta(H-X)
_____
_____
_____
<(H'-C-H') in TS
_____
_____
_____
delta(<(H'-C-H'))
_____
_____
_____
<(H-C-H') in TS
_____
_____
_____
delta(<(H-C-H'))
_____
_____
_____
The later the transition state, the more radical character there is in the hydrocarbon fragment. The more radical character, the more differentiation is possible between primary, secondary and tertiary carbons.
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