Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Mass Spectrometry: Alkyl Halide Fragmentation

Mass Spectrometry: Alkyl Halide Fragmentation

Chlorine isotopes exist as 35Cl and 37Cl in a 3:1 ratio, while bromine isotopes exist as 79Br and 81Br in a 1:1 ratio. The mass spectrum of alkyl halides typically produces two distinct molecular ion peaks, the molecular ion peak, [M], and the molecular ion plus two, [M + 2] peak. The relative heights of these two peaks are proportional to the isotopic abundance ratios of the halide. For example, 2‐chloropropane and 1‐bromopropane display two peaks with relative peak heights in a 3:1 and...

Radical Halogenation: Thermodynamics

Radical Halogenation: Thermodynamics

The thermodynamic favorability of a reaction is determined by the change in Gibbs free energy (ΔG). ΔG has two components- enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS). The entropy component is negligible for alkane halogenation because the number of reactants and product molecules are equal. In this case, the ΔG is governed only by the enthalpy component. The most crucial factor that determines ΔH is the strength of the bonds. ΔH can be determined by comparing the energy...

Halogenation of Alkenes

Halogenation of Alkenes

Halogenation is the addition of chlorine or bromine across the double bond in an alkene to yield a vicinal dihalide. The reaction occurs in the presence of inert and non-nucleophilic solvents, such as methylene chloride, chloroform, or carbon tetrachloride.
Consider the bromination of cyclopentene. Molecular bromine is polarized in the proximity of the π electrons of cyclopentene. An electrophilic bromine atom adds across the double bond, forming a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate.

Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents

Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents

In the presence of heat or light, alkanes react with molecular halogens to form alkyl halides by a substitution reaction called radical halogenation. This reaction has three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination, as seen in the radical chlorination of methane to produce methyl chloride.
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...

Alkyl Halides

Alkyl Halides

Structural Properties
Alkyl halides are halogen-substituted alkanes wherein one or more hydrogen atoms of an alkane is replaced by a halogen atom such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine. The carbon atom in an alkyl halide is bonded to the halogen atom, which is sp3-hybridized and exhibits a tetrahedral shape.
Unlike alkyl halides, compounds in which a halogen atom is bonded to an sp2 -hybridized carbon atom of a carbon-carbon double bond (C=C) are called vinyl halides. Whereas aryl...

Multiple Halogenation of Methyl Ketones: Haloform Reaction

Multiple Halogenation of Methyl Ketones: Haloform Reaction

A method involving the transformation of methyl ketones to carboxylic acids using excess base and halogen is called the haloform reaction. It begins with the deprotonation of α hydrogen to form an enolate ion which reacts with the electrophilic halogen to give an α-halo ketone. The step continues until all the α protons are substituted to form a trihalomethyl ketone. The resulting molecule is unstable, and in the presence of a hydroxide base, it readily undergoes nucleophilic...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Rich Chemistry of Ionized Methanol With Sulfur Dioxide: Pathways to Prebiotic and Elusive Species in Earth's Atmosphere and Space.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026

Same author

From Astrophysics to Perovskites: Why Saha Physics Cannot Describe the Exciton to Free Electron-Hole Pairs Statistics in Semiconductors.

ACS applied optical materials·2026

Same author

Ultrafast Photodissociation and Recombination Dynamics of Methyl <i>p</i>‑Tolyl Sulfoxide in Solution: Insights from Transient Absorption Spectroscopy and Computational Studies.

ACS omega·2026

Same author

Evidence of orbital mixing upon ionization via Cooper minimum photoelectron dynamics in epichlorohydrin. Experiment and theory.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026

Same author

Experimental and theoretical investigation of elastic electron scattering from halogenated anesthetic molecule desflurane.

Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP·2026

Same author

Development of a sensitive and specific method to measure heparanase activity in complex biological matrices.

Glycobiology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Coulomb Explosion Imaging as a Tool to Distinguish Between Stereoisomers

Coulomb Explosion Imaging as a Tool to Distinguish Between Stereoisomers

Published on: August 18, 2017

Halogen Migration in the Photofragmentation of Halothane.

Anna Rita Casavola¹, Filippo Morini², Mattea Carmen Castrovilli¹

¹ISM-CNR-Istituto di Struttura della Materia, Area della Ricerca di Roma 1, CP 10, 00016 Monterotondo Scalo, Italy.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

|July 30, 2025

Summary

Researchers studied halothane photofragmentation using synchrotron radiation. They observed novel ion formations involving fluorine atom transfer, shedding light on atmospheric chemistry and reactive species.

Keywords:

appearance energy halogen migration halothane photofragmentation

More Related Videos

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

Published on: March 24, 2018

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters

Published on: January 9, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Coulomb Explosion Imaging as a Tool to Distinguish Between Stereoisomers

Coulomb Explosion Imaging as a Tool to Distinguish Between Stereoisomers

Published on: August 18, 2017

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

Published on: March 24, 2018

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters

Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters

Published on: January 9, 2014

Area of Science:

Photochemistry
Atmospheric Chemistry
Chemical Physics

Background:

Halothane (CF3CHBrCl) is a volatile compound with implications for atmospheric chemistry.
Understanding the photodissociation pathways of halocarbons is crucial for assessing their environmental impact.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the photofragmentation mechanisms of halothane using advanced experimental and theoretical techniques.
To investigate the formation pathways of specific fragment ions, particularly those involving halogen migration.

Main Methods:

Photoionization efficiency (PIE) measurements.
Photoelectron-photoion coincidence (PEPICO) experiments.
Theoretical calculations including DFT and NBO analysis.

Main Results:

Observed the formation of CHClF+ and CHBrF+ ions, indicating fluorine atom transfer.
Detailed theoretical study of CHClF+ formation pathways.
Identified mechanisms for halogen migration during halothane photodissociation.

Conclusions:

The study provides insights into the complex photochemistry of halothane.
Findings contribute to understanding halothane's atmospheric behavior and the generation of reactive species.