Haloalkanes and Haloarenes: common misconceptions

If your child says… “Secondary means there are two chlorine atoms.”

Ask together

How many chlorines are present, and how many carbon neighbours does chlorine’s carbon have?

What’s true

Secondary means the chlorine-bearing carbon has two carbon neighbours.

If your child says… “Opening the double bond removes some atoms.”

Ask together

Can you find every starting atom in the product?

What’s true

This addition changes bonds while keeping every atom.

If your child says… “The incoming group simply takes bromine’s exact position.”

Ask together

Which side can hydroxide reach while bromine is still attached?

What’s true

Hydroxide approaches opposite bromine, inverting the arrangement around the reacting carbon.

If your child says… “Potassium hydroxide always replaces bromine with hydroxide.”

Ask together

What differs between the conditions written beside these two arrows?

What’s true

The starting compound, base, solvent and temperature affect competition between substitution and elimination.

If your child says… “Ortho and para directing means faster than benzene.”

Ask together

Does choosing where a reaction happens tell us how quickly it happens?

What’s true

Chlorine favours substitution at ortho and para positions, but chlorobenzene reacts more slowly than benzene.

If your child says… “One chlorine atom can destroy only one ozone molecule.”

Ask together

Where is the chlorine atom when the cycle finishes?

What’s true

Chlorine is regenerated during this reaction cycle rather than permanently used up.