Question

Bromination of methane in presence of sunlight is a

• A. nucleophilic substitution
• B. free radical substitution
• C. electrophilic substitution
• D. nucleophilic addition

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

free radical substitution

Answer 2

The reaction between bromine and methane happens in the presence of sunlight. $CH _{4}+ Br _{2} \rightarrow CH _{3}+ HBr$. The product obtained is bromomethane. One of the hydrogen atom in the methane is replaced by a bromine atom. So this is substitution reaction. During the chain reaction, a new species is generated at the end. The overall process is called as free radical substitution.