Usefulness of halogenation
The low selectivity of alkane halogenation limits its use to compounds having only one kind of C-H bond and/or to the use of bromine, which is more selective but rather expensive.
If the alkane meets an excess of halogen, there is an added problem: the formation of polyhalogenated compounds.
Alkane halogenation is not usually carried out directly with the halogens but with other solid compounds, much easier to handle, that release ·Cl or ·Br radicals by means of so-called initiators.
