2013-03-17

Chloroform



Trichloromethane or known as chloroform, CHCl3 is one of the product of substitution of methane with chlorine(chlorination) in the presence of UV sunlight.  The output of this process is a mixture of chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane & tetrachloromethane).

The following are the chemical equations that show the step by step reactions in substitution reaction.


CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl
CH3Cl + Cl2 → CH2Cl2 + HCl
CH2Cl2 + Cl2 → CHCl3 + HCl
CHCl3 + Cl2 → CCl4 + HCl


Uses of chloroform

  • a common solvent
  • was once a widely used anesthetic(Its vapour easily depress the central nervous system)

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