---
title: "Radical chlorination of methane Template | MolDraw"
url: https://www.moldraw.com/templates/radical-chlorination/
description: "Radical chlorination of methane template: Light splits Cl₂; a chain of hydrogen abstraction and chlorine transfer gives chloromethane. Preview it, then open…"
lang: en
publisher: Scidart Academy
generated: 2026-10-28
---
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# Radical chlorination of methane template

![Radical chlorination of methane template: Light splits Cl₂; a chain of hydrogen abstraction and chlorine transfer gives chloromethane.](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/radical-chlorination.webp)

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Light splits Cl₂; a chain of hydrogen abstraction and chlorine transfer gives chloromethane.

## Mechanism step by step

Initiation, two propagation steps and termination, with fish-hook arrows

1. **Initiation** – Light splits Cl–Cl homolytically
2. **Propagation 1** – Cl• abstracts H
3. **Propagation 2** – CH₃• takes Cl, regenerating Cl•
4. **Termination** – Two radicals combine

## Key points

- One photon can start a chain of thousands of propagation cycles.
- Every propagation step keeps the number of radicals.
- Termination removes radicals; traces of O₂ inhibit the chain.
- Excess methane limits over-chlorination (CH₂Cl₂, CHCl₃, CCl₄).

Drawn with 25 atoms, 15 arrows, 8 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.

## Sources

- [Clayden, Greeves & Warren, Organic Chemistry, 2nd ed., OUP 2012, ch. 37](https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780199270293) Textbook
- [Smith, March's Advanced Organic Chemistry, 8th ed., Wiley 2020](https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119371809) Textbook

## How to use this template

1. Press **Edit in MolDraw**. The template opens on the canvas of the free MolDraw editor.
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3. Add your own structures, arrows and text next to it, or combine several templates on one page.
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## Frequently asked questions

### Is the Radical chlorination of methane template free?

You can preview the Radical chlorination of methane template here and open and edit it in MolDraw for free. Downloading or exporting it is part of MolDraw Pro, together with the other premium templates.

### Can I edit the Radical chlorination of methane template?

Yes. It opens as an ordinary MolDraw drawing, so every structure, arrow, label and colour can be changed, and you can add your own content around it.

### Is the chemistry checked?

Every structure is checked with RDKit and every curly arrow passes MolDraw’s electron-flow audit. The sources used are listed on this page.

### What is a curly-arrow mechanism template?

A ready-made drawing of a reaction mechanism in which curved arrows show where electron pairs move in each step. You can open it in MolDraw, change the substrate and reuse it.

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