General Chemistry for the Health Care Professions

General Chemistry
for the
Health Care Professions

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3-17. HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS

Halogenated hydrocarbons are compounds with the general formula R-X where R is any hydrocarbon group and X is a halogen (Cl, Br, F or I). The most significant property of halogenated hydrocarbons is that as you increase the number of halogens on the compound, the flammability of the compound decreases. This property has been used to produce ethers that are nonflammable to be used as general anesthetics such as methoxyflurane.

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Methoxyflurane (Penthrane^®)

Original content of this course is supplied by Academy of Health Sciences
Fort Sam Houston, Tx.