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Why are alkyl iodides MORE reactive than alkyl fluorides?

Answer 1

Well, for a start consider the strength of the #C-I# bonds versus the #C-F# bond.........

You will have to look in text for this, in that I cannot find a useful table on the interwebz. However, it is a fact that the #C-F# bond is MUCH stronger than the #C-I# bond, and that, therefore, #C-I# should undergo substitution more readily via dissociative OR associative mechanisms.

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Answer 2

Emilia Alvarez

R-I bond is more reactive than R-F

than I because of F's strong nuclear charge. As a result, R-I is more reactive than R-F.

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Answer 3

Sarah Angotti

Alkyl iodides are more reactive than alkyl fluorides because iodine is larger and less electronegative than fluorine, resulting in weaker carbon-iodine bonds and easier dissociation of the iodide ion, making the alkyl iodide more susceptible to nucleophilic substitution reactions.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.