Chemistry / Unit 12 Chem 2454 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Twin: The Substitution Reaction
Captions available
The idea
A substitution reaction replaces one atom or group on a saturated carbon with another, leaving bond count and hybridization unchanged, unlike addition.
In practice
Chlorine replaces one hydrogen on ethane to form chloroethane, the carbon remaining sp3 throughout.
Where people slip
Alkanes have no multiple bond to add across, so they undergo substitution rather than addition — expecting addition here misapplies Chem 2451's reactivity.
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