Reactive Group Datasheet

Halogenated Organic Compounds

What are reactive groups?

Reactive groups are categories of chemicals that typically react in similar ways because they are similar in their chemical structure. Each substance with a chemical datasheet has been assigned to one or more reactive groups, and CAMEO Chemicals uses the reactive group assignments to make its reactivity predictions. More Info...

If you can't find a chemical in the database--but you know what reactive group it belongs in--you can add the reactive group to MyChemicals instead in order to see the reactivity predictions.

There are 783 chemical datasheets assigned to this reactive group.

Description

Flammability

The flammability of these materials is variable. The low-molecular-weight materials (gases and liquids) are generally dangerously flammable. However, many halogenated organic compounds of high molecular weight, in particular those containing several halogen atoms per molecule, are nonflammable; some are in fact used as fire retardants.

Reactivity

Simple aromatic halogenated organic compounds are very unreactive; halogenated aliphatic compounds are moderately or very reactive. For both subgroups, reactivity generally decreases with increased degree of substitution of halogen for hydrogen atoms. Halogenated acetylene compounds are unstable and should be treated as explosives. Low molecular weight haloalkanes are highly flammable and can react with some metals to form dangerous products. Low molecular weight haloalkenes are highly flammable, peroxidizable and may polymerize violently. They may react violently with aluminum. Materials in this group are incompatible with strong oxidizing and reducing agents. Also, they are incompatible with many amines, nitrides, azo/diazo compounds, alkali metals, and epoxides.

Toxicity

Many halogenated hydrocarbons have moderate to high toxicity by inhalation. The brominated materials tend to be particularly toxic. Much of the toxicity is due to the fact that these substances are not metabolized, but persist and accumulate in fatty tissues (they tend to be fat-soluble). The combustion of chlorinated organic compounds may produce poisonous phosgene gas (COCl2). Other materials formed by incomplete combustion are classes of chlorinated organic compounds, chlorodibenzodioxins and chlorodibenzofurans. These compounds cause cancer in laboratory tests.

Other Characteristics

This class of compounds is extremely important in industry in the production of polymers, pesticides, and fire retardants.

Examples

Vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, chlorobenzene, trichlorobenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), methylene chloride, chloroform, chloroisoprene, trichlorobenzene.

Reactivity Documentation

Click on the links below to see how this reactive group is predicted to react when it is mixed with one of the 47 reactive groups. A variety of documentation about that reactive group pair will be displayed, including predicted hazards, predicted gas byproducts, and background materials and references used to make the predictions.

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Halogenated Organic Compounds

What are reactive groups?

Description

Reactivity Documentation