explain why free radical halogenation usually gives mixtures of products?

Answer 1

It's not necessarily the case that all H atoms would be attacked equally by the halogen... The reason that free radical halogenation of an organic compound yields a mixture of compounds is simply because the H atoms in the original compound are NOT all equivalent to each other. Replacing, say, an H atom on the end of a chain (a CH3 group) with a Cl atom gives a different compound than replacing a H in a CH2 group in the middle of a chain. Since the halogen can normally access many different H atoms, there is usually more than one possible product of the reaction.

Answer 2

Free Radical Halogenation

Answer 3

Because all the H atoms of the alkane are equally likely to be attacked by the chlorine radicals.