Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Hydroboration-Oxidation
Hydroboration-oxidation is a two-step reaction process used to convert alkenes into alcohols. In the first step, borane (BH3) adds across the double bond of the alkene in a syn addition, resulting in a trialkylborane intermediate. The second step involves oxidation with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxide (OH-), which replaces the boron atom with a hydroxyl group, yielding an alcohol with anti-Markovnikov orientation.
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Stereochemistry
Stereochemistry refers to the study of the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules and how this affects their chemical behavior. In reactions involving alkenes, stereochemistry is crucial as it determines the configuration of the resulting products. For example, syn and anti additions can lead to different stereoisomers, which can have distinct physical and chemical properties.
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Markovnikov's Rule
Markovnikov's Rule states that in the addition of HX to an alkene, the hydrogen atom will attach to the carbon with the greater number of hydrogen atoms already attached, while the halide (or other substituent) will attach to the carbon with fewer hydrogen atoms. In the context of hydroboration-oxidation, the reaction proceeds via anti-Markovnikov addition, where the hydroxyl group ends up on the less substituted carbon, which is a key aspect to consider when predicting the major products.
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