Question

Is halogenation of alkane a oxidative process?

Answer 1

This is certainly FORMALLY an oxidation reaction....

Explanation:

And let us consider the radical halogenation of methane....and put in oxidation numbers....

`underbrace(CH_4)_"C(-IV)"+underbrace(Cl_2)_"Cl(0)"rarrunderbrace(CH_3Cl(g))_"C(-II)"+ HCl(g)`

Carbon has been OXIDIZED (a formal 2 electron oxidation) by the chlorine oxidant to give `2xxCl^-`...as the reduction half....