haloform

chemistry

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June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

A haloform is a chemical compound with the formula CHX₃, where X represents a halogen atom such as chlorine, bromine, or iodine. These compounds are derived from methane by replacing three hydrogen atoms with halogen atoms.1

A related chemical process is the haloform reaction, which occurs during the alpha-halogenation of aldehydes. In this reaction, if an aldehyde has three alpha-hydrogens on the same carbon atom, they can be replaced by halogen atoms. This process can lead to the cleavage of an X₃C⁻ ion, which then forms a haloform (CHX₃) when it reacts with water or an acid. Chloroform (CHCl₃) is an example of a haloform.21

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carbene
Formation.
Other haloforms, compounds conforming to the formula HCX₃, in which X equals an atom of chlorine, bromine, or iodine, react in an equivalent way to form the corresponding dihalocarbenes.
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Other haloforms, compounds conforming to the formula HCX₃, in which X equals an atom of chlorine, bromine, or iodine, react in an equivalent way to form the corresponding dihalocarbenes.
Read More