Chain propagation

Chain propagation (sometimes referred to as propagation) is a process in which a reactive intermediate is continuously regenerated during the course of a chemical chain reaction. For example, in the chlorination of methane, there is a two-step propagation cycle involving as chain carriers a chlorine atom and a methyl radical which are regenerated alternately: •Cl + CH4 → HCl + •CH3•CH3 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + •Cl The two steps add to give the equation for the overall chain reaction: CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl.

Chain propagation

Chain propagation (sometimes referred to as propagation) is a process in which a reactive intermediate is continuously regenerated during the course of a chemical chain reaction. For example, in the chlorination of methane, there is a two-step propagation cycle involving as chain carriers a chlorine atom and a methyl radical which are regenerated alternately: •Cl + CH4 → HCl + •CH3•CH3 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + •Cl The two steps add to give the equation for the overall chain reaction: CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl.