What type of mechanism does the reaction of 2-bromopropane with a strong nucleop
Practice Questions
Q1
What type of mechanism does the reaction of 2-bromopropane with a strong nucleophile follow?
SN1
SN2
E1
E2
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What type of mechanism does the reaction of 2-bromopropane with a strong nucleophile follow?
Step 1: Identify the reactant, which is 2-bromopropane. It has a bromine atom attached to a carbon chain.
Step 2: Recognize that a strong nucleophile is a species that can donate an electron pair to form a bond.
Step 3: Understand that the reaction mechanism can be either SN1 or SN2. SN1 involves a two-step process, while SN2 is a one-step process.
Step 4: Consider the structure of 2-bromopropane. It has a secondary carbon, which means it is somewhat hindered by surrounding groups.
Step 5: Note that strong nucleophiles are more likely to react via the SN2 mechanism because they can attack the carbon directly, displacing the bromine atom in one step.
Step 6: Conclude that the steric hindrance from the secondary carbon makes the SN2 mechanism more favorable than SN1.
