Free Radical Halogenation Explained | Initiation, Propagation, Termination & Major Products

Free radical halogenation is one of the most important reactions in Organic Chemistry, and it's a favorite topic on exams. In this video, you'll learn the complete free radical halogenation mechanism step by step, including initiation, propagation, and termination. We compare chlorination and bromination to explain why chlorine produces mixtures of products while bromine is much more selective. You'll also learn how radical stability determines the major product, why bromination favors the most stable radical intermediate, and why fluorination and iodination are generally not used. This lesson includes step-by-step reaction mechanisms, energy diagrams, radical stability, and numerous worked examples involving alkanes, cycloalkanes, and substituted hydrocarbons. We also discuss stereochemistry, common exam mistakes, and how to predict the major product of free radical bromination and chlorination reactions. Topics covered include free radical substitution, homolytic bond cleavage, fishhook arrows, initiation, propagation, termination, radical stability, chlorination vs bromination, fluorination, iodination, and major product prediction. This Organic Chemistry tutorial is perfect for Organic Chemistry 1 (OChem 1), college chemistry students, pre-med students, and anyone preparing for quizzes, exams, or the MCAT. If this video helped you, subscribe for more Organic Chemistry tutorials, reaction mechanism walkthroughs, and exam-focused study guides. #OrganicChemistry #FreeRadicalHalogenation #ReactionMechanisms #OChem #Chemistry