Lab 4: Alkyl Halides and the Nucleophilic Reaction for the Synthesis of Isomeric Ethers

Anhydrous MgSO4 is used similarly to Na2SO4 in order to...

Dry organic phase

In SN1, planar carbocation intermediate allows nucleophilic attack from...

From either side

Which solvent is polar protic: Acetone, DMSO, Methanol, HMPA?

Methanol

SN2 energy diagram has how many peaks?

One peak (one transition state)

If two ether products form, the major product in SN2 conditions is usually from...

Primary substrate

Increasing branching near the electrophilic carbon generally means?

Slows SN2

Strong nucleophile + primary substrate + aprotic solvent favours SN1, SN2, E1 or E2?

SN2

A reaction that produces both primary and secondary ether products likely involved...

Competing SN1/SN2 pathways

An SN1 reaction proceeds through...

Carbocation formation followed by nucleophile attack

SN2 and E2 reactions differ mainly in the...

Role of the nucleophile/base

Which mechanism preserves relative stereochemistry of neighbouring centres?

SN2

What is the rate law for SN1?

Rate = k[substrate]

Neopentyl bromide reacts slowly by SN2 mainly due to...

Severe steric hindrance near the reaction site

Heat generally increases the likelihood of...

Elimination

Aprotic solvents increase SN2 rates because they...

Leave nucleophiles less solvated

SN1 at a chiral carbon typically gives...

Racemization (often not perfectly 50/50)

SN1 energy diagram has how many peaks?

Two peaks with an intermediate valley

If you observe alkene products along with substitution products in a heated reaction, that suggests...

Competition between substitution and elimination

Best leaving group ability follows which trend?

I⁻ > Br⁻ > Cl⁻ > F⁻

Why is a reaction sometimes heated rather than left at room temperature?

To increase reaction rate by increasing molecular collisions