How is chloroform prepared?

1 Answer
anor277
Apr 18, 2017

Industrially, this is formed by the thermal reaction of methane with chlorine gas.......

Explanation:

#"CH"_4"(g)" +3/2"Cl"_2 +Delta rarr "CHCl"_3"(g)" + "3HCl(g)"#

I think the process utilizes temperatures of approx. #500# #""^@C#. Clearly, a mixture of methyl halides will result, but their difference in volatility allows separation on a fractionating tower.

#"Normal boiling points:"#

#"CH"_4,# #""-164# #""^@C#;

#"CH"_3"Cl", -24.2# #""^@C#;

#"CH"_2"Cl"_2, 39.6# #""^@C#;

#"CHCl"_3, 61.2# #""^@C#;

#"CCl"_4, 76.7# #""^@C#.

How do you account for these differences in volatility?

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