Which mechanism is primarily involved in the reaction of alkenes with bromine?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which mechanism is primarily involved in the reaction of alkenes with bromine?
Electrophilic addition
Nucleophilic substitution
Radical substitution
Elimination
The reaction of alkenes with bromine involves an electrophilic addition mechanism, where the alkene acts as a nucleophile and attacks the electrophilic bromine molecule.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which mechanism is primarily involved in the reaction of alkenes with bromine?
Solution: The reaction of alkenes with bromine involves an electrophilic addition mechanism, where the alkene acts as a nucleophile and attacks the electrophilic bromine molecule.
Steps: 8
Step 1: Understand that alkenes are molecules that have a double bond between two carbon atoms.
Step 2: Recognize that bromine (Br2) is a diatomic molecule made of two bromine atoms.
Step 3: Identify that in this reaction, the alkene acts as a nucleophile, meaning it has a region of high electron density that can donate electrons.
Step 4: Know that bromine can act as an electrophile, which means it can accept electrons because it has a partial positive charge when it approaches the alkene.
Step 5: When the alkene approaches the bromine molecule, it attacks one of the bromine atoms, breaking the Br-Br bond.
Step 6: This results in the formation of a cyclic bromonium ion intermediate, where the alkene is now bonded to one bromine atom.
Step 7: The other bromine atom, now negatively charged, attacks the cyclic bromonium ion from the opposite side, leading to the addition of bromine across the double bond.
Step 8: Finally, the product is a dibrominated alkane, where two bromine atoms are added to the original alkene.
