Iodoalkanes
Iodoalkanes are haloalkane variants used in substitution, elimination and Grignard-forming routes.
- Functional group
- C-I
- Also known as
- alkyl iodides, alkyl iodide, iodoalkane, organic iodide, haloalkane
Overview
Alkyl iodides with a C-I bond.
Iodoalkanes are haloalkane variants used in substitution, elimination and Grignard-forming routes.
Iodoalkanes are tracked as a reference-scheme haloalkane branch with preparation routes from alcohols or alkenes and downstream substitution, elimination and organomagnesium formation routes.
Identifiers
- Functional group
- C-I
- Also known as
- alkyl iodides, alkyl iodide, iodoalkane, organic iodide, haloalkane
Properties
- Functional handle
- C-I
- Route boundary
- preparation and downstream branch
Diagnostic tests
silver nitrate hydrolysis test
- Reagent
- aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol
- Conditions
- warm in a water bath
- Positive observation
- yellow precipitate of AgI forms rapidly
- Negative observation
- no halide precipitate
- Interpretation
- The precipitate colour identifies iodide and the formation time reflects faster C-I hydrolysis.
- Scope
- Comparison test for chloro-, bromo- and iodoalkanes.
- Limitations
- Compare similar structures under the same solvent and temperature. Existing halide salts can also precipitate with silver ions.
- Evidence
- textbook core
Related compounds
- Iodomethane
Iodomethane is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3I.
- Iodoethane
Iodoethane is an organic compound with the molecular formula C2H5I.
Connected reactions
- Iodination: Alcohols → Iodoalkanes
Iodine and red phosphorus conditions convert alcohols into iodoalkanes.
- Hydroiodination: Alkenes → Iodoalkanes
Addition of hydrogen iodide across an alkene can form an iodoalkane.
- Cyanation: Iodoalkanes → Nitriles
Cyanide substitution forms a nitrile and extends the carbon chain by one carbon.
- Amination: Iodoalkanes → Amines
Ammonia substitutes iodide to form a primary amine; excess ammonia limits further alkylation.
- Hydrolysis: Iodoalkanes → Alcohols
The C-I bond can be displaced by hydroxide to form an alcohol.
- Elimination: Iodoalkanes → Alkenes
Base-promoted elimination removes HI to form an alkene.
- Grignard formation: Iodoalkanes → Grignard reagents
Iodoalkanes can react with magnesium in dry ether to form Grignard reagents.
References
- Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Chemistry specificationPearson Education Limited · Pearson qualifications · 2024
Supports the textbook-core organic reaction routes used for displayed route and mechanism content.
- PubChem Compound Summary: Iodomethane (CID 6328)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem
Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.
- PubChem Compound Summary: Iodoethane (CID 6340)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem
Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.