What is the product of the reaction of ethylene with bromine?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the product of the reaction of ethylene with bromine?
Bromomethane
1,2-dibromoethane
Bromoethane
Ethane
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the product of the reaction of ethylene with bromine?
Step 1: Identify the reactants. We have ethylene, which is a simple alkene (C2H4), and bromine (Br2), which is a diatomic molecule.
Step 2: Understand the reaction type. The reaction between ethylene and bromine is an electrophilic addition reaction.
Step 3: Recognize the double bond in ethylene. Ethylene has a double bond between the two carbon atoms (C=C).
Step 4: Electrophilic attack. The bromine molecule approaches the double bond, and one of the bromine atoms becomes positively charged (electrophile) while the other becomes negatively charged (nucleophile).
Step 5: Formation of a cyclic bromonium ion. The double bond attacks the electrophilic bromine, forming a cyclic intermediate called a bromonium ion.
Step 6: Nucleophilic attack by bromide ion. The negatively charged bromine ion (Br-) attacks the more substituted carbon of the bromonium ion, opening the ring.
Step 7: Final product formation. This results in the formation of 1,2-dibromoethane, where each carbon atom is bonded to a bromine atom.