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

3. Acids and Bases

Reaction Mechanism

Organic Chemistry

3. Acids and Bases

Reaction Mechanism

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3:45 minutes

Problem 2

Textbook Question

Aluminum trichloride (AlCl₃) dissolves in ether with the evolution of a large amount of heat. (In fact, this reaction can become rather violent if it gets too warm.) Show the structure of the resulting aluminum chloride etherate complex.

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the nature of aluminum trichloride (AlCl₃): It is a Lewis acid due to the electron deficiency of aluminum, which has an incomplete octet.

Recognize the role of ether in the reaction: Ether acts as a Lewis base because the oxygen atom in ether has lone pairs of electrons that can be donated to aluminum.

Visualize the interaction: The aluminum atom in AlCl₃ accepts electron pairs from the oxygen atom in ether, forming a coordinate covalent bond. This results in the formation of an aluminum chloride etherate complex.

Draw the structure of the complex: Represent the aluminum atom bonded to three chlorine atoms (AlCl₃) and also bonded to the oxygen atom of the ether molecule via a coordinate covalent bond. Use arrows to indicate the donation of electron pairs from oxygen to aluminum.

Consider the stoichiometry: Depending on the amount of ether present, multiple ether molecules may coordinate with a single AlCl₃ molecule, forming a complex such as AlCl₃·(ether)n, where n represents the number of ether molecules involved.

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Key Concepts

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

Lewis Acids and Bases

Lewis acids are substances that can accept an electron pair, while Lewis bases are those that can donate an electron pair. In the context of aluminum trichloride, it acts as a Lewis acid due to its electron-deficient aluminum center, which can coordinate with electron-rich species like ethers. Understanding this interaction is crucial for grasping how aluminum chloride forms complexes in solution.

Coordination Complexes

Coordination complexes consist of a central metal atom bonded to surrounding molecules or ions, known as ligands. In the case of aluminum chloride etherate, the ether acts as a ligand that coordinates to the aluminum ion, stabilizing the complex. Recognizing the geometry and bonding in these complexes is essential for visualizing the structure formed during the reaction.

Thermodynamics of Dissolution

The dissolution of substances in solvents involves thermodynamic principles, including enthalpy and entropy changes. The exothermic nature of aluminum trichloride dissolving in ether indicates that the process releases heat, which can lead to increased temperature and potentially violent reactions. Understanding these thermodynamic concepts helps predict the behavior of the system during the formation of the aluminum chloride etherate complex.

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