What type of reaction converts an alkene to a haloalkane?

An alkene is characterized by its carbon-carbon double bond, and the conversion of an alkene to a haloalkane involves adding a halogen atom to the carbon atoms of this double bond. This type of transformation is typically carried out through an addition reaction.

In an addition reaction with Hx (where x is a halogen such as chlorine, bromine, or iodine), the hydrogen atom from Hx adds to one of the carbon atoms in the double bond, while the halogen atom adds to the other carbon. This results in the formation of a haloalkane, where a hydrogen atom and a halogen atom are now bonded to the alkene's carbon framework.

This mechanism can follow Markovnikov's rule, where the more stable carbocation intermediate determines the outcome of the reaction, favoring the more substituted carbon for halogen addition.

The other types of reactions mentioned do not accomplish the same transformation. A substitution reaction with Br and UV light typically involves breaking an existing bond and replacing it with a bromine atom, which is not how alkenes convert to haloalkanes. Oxidation reactions with KMnO4 often lead to the formation of alcohols or carbonyl compounds rather than haloalkanes. Polymerization