Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols

Making Ethers - Acid-Catalyzed Alkoxylation

Organic Chemistry

12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols

Making Ethers - Acid-Catalyzed Alkoxylation

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5:45 minutes

Problem 76b

Textbook Question

b. Which step is the rate-determining step?

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the reaction mechanism provided or implied in the problem. The rate-determining step (RDS) is typically the slowest step in a multi-step reaction mechanism.

Examine the energy profile diagram if available. The RDS corresponds to the step with the highest energy transition state (the largest activation energy).

If no energy diagram is provided, analyze the steps in the mechanism. The RDS often involves the formation or breaking of the most unstable intermediate or the step with the most complex molecular rearrangement.

Consider the molecularity of each step. Steps involving more reactants or complex interactions are often slower and could be the RDS.

Review experimental data if provided, such as rate laws. The RDS is the step whose reactants match the species and stoichiometry in the experimentally determined rate law.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Rate-Determining Step

The rate-determining step (RDS) in a chemical reaction is the slowest step in the reaction mechanism that controls the overall rate of the reaction. It acts as a bottleneck, meaning that even if other steps are faster, the RDS dictates how quickly the entire process can proceed. Identifying the RDS is crucial for understanding reaction kinetics and optimizing conditions for desired outcomes.

Reaction Mechanism

A reaction mechanism is a detailed description of the step-by-step process by which reactants are converted into products. It includes all the elementary steps, intermediates, and transition states involved in the reaction. Understanding the mechanism helps chemists predict the behavior of the reaction under various conditions and identify the RDS.

Transition State Theory

Transition state theory posits that during a chemical reaction, reactants pass through a high-energy transition state before forming products. This theory helps explain the energy barrier that must be overcome for a reaction to occur. The stability and energy of the transition state are critical in determining the rate of the RDS, as it influences how quickly reactants can be converted into products.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

How could the following compounds be prepared using an alkene as one of the starting materials?

Textbook Question

Show how each of the following compounds can be synthesized from an alkene:

Textbook Question

a. Draw the product or products that will be obtained from the reaction of cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene with each of the following reagents. If a product can exist as stereoisomers, show which stereoisomers are formed.

8. CH₃OH + H₂SO₄

b. With which reagents do the two alkenes react to form different products?

Textbook Question

How could the following compounds be prepared using an alkene as one of the starting materials?

Textbook Question

a. Propose a mechanism for the following reaction (show all curved arrows):

Textbook Question

What is the major product of each of the following reactions?

Textbook Question

How could the following compound be prepared using an alkene as one of the starting materials?

Textbook Question

Propose a mechanism for the following reaction (remember to use curved arrows to show the movement of electrons from the nucleophile to the electrophile):

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