Predict the products of the following SN2 reactions. (c)
(d)
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Step 1: Identify the type of reaction. Both reactions are SN2 reactions, which involve a single-step mechanism where the nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbon and displaces the leaving group simultaneously.
Step 2: Analyze the reactants in reaction (c). The nucleophile is the phenylthiolate ion (C6H5S⁻), and the electrophile is ethyl bromide (CH3CH2Br). The bromine atom is the leaving group.
Step 3: Predict the product for reaction (c). The phenylthiolate ion will attack the electrophilic carbon in ethyl bromide, forming a new bond between the sulfur atom and the ethyl group. Bromine will be displaced as Br⁻.
Step 4: Analyze the reactants in reaction (d). The nucleophile is the acetylide ion (Na⁺:C≡CH), and the electrophile is a long-chain alkyl chloride (CH3(CH2)8CH2Cl). The chlorine atom is the leaving group.
Step 5: Predict the product for reaction (d). The acetylide ion will attack the electrophilic carbon in the alkyl chloride, forming a new bond between the terminal carbon of the acetylide and the alkyl chain. Chlorine will be displaced as Cl⁻.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
S<sub>N</sub>2 Mechanism
The S<sub>N</sub>2 mechanism is a type of nucleophilic substitution reaction where a nucleophile attacks an electrophile, resulting in the simultaneous displacement of a leaving group. This reaction occurs in a single concerted step, leading to the inversion of configuration at the carbon center. It is characterized by a bimolecular rate law, meaning the rate depends on the concentration of both the nucleophile and the substrate.
Nucleophiles are species that donate an electron pair to form a chemical bond in a reaction. In S<sub>N</sub>2 reactions, nucleophiles are typically negatively charged or neutral molecules with lone pairs of electrons. In the given reaction, sodium thiolate (S<sup>-</sup>) acts as the nucleophile, attacking the electrophilic carbon in bromoethane (CH<sub>3</sub>CH<sub>2</sub>Br) to form a new bond.
Leaving groups are atoms or groups that can depart from the substrate during a chemical reaction, taking with them the electrons from the bond they formed with the substrate. A good leaving group is typically stable after departure and can be a halide ion (like Br<sup>-</sup> in this case). The ability of a leaving group to leave easily is crucial for the success of S<sub>N</sub>2 reactions, as it influences the reaction rate and product formation.