What is the result of free radical substitution in alkanes?

Free radical substitution in alkanes primarily involves the reaction of alkanes with halogens, such as chlorine or bromine, under the influence of heat or light. The process typically occurs in several stages: initiation, propagation, and termination.

During initiation, halogen molecules (such as Cl₂ or Br₂) dissociate into two free radicals when exposed to heat or ultraviolet light. These highly reactive halogen radicals can then react with alkanes. In the propagation steps, a halogen radical abstracts a hydrogen atom from the alkane, forming a halogenoalkane and generating a new alkyl radical. This newly formed alkyl radical can then react with another halogen molecule, producing more halogenoalkane and another free radical. This cycle continues until termination occurs, where two free radicals combine to form a stable product, effectively stopping the reaction.

The result of this chain reaction is the formation of halogenoalkanes (also known as alkyl halides), which contain a halogen atom in place of one or more hydrogen atoms in the original alkane. This is the primary product of the free radical substitution process. Other answer choices, such as the formation of alcohols, alkenes, or alkyn