Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Chapter 6
Properties & Reactions of Haloalkanes
46
Organic Chemistry
Undergraduate 2
10/07/2014

Additional Organic Chemistry Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Are short bonds stronger or weaker than long bonds?
Definition
stronger
Term
polarizability
Definition
the degree to which an atom or group's electron cloud is deformed under the influence of an external electric field
Term
Do more polarizable atoms/groups have higher or lower boiling points?
Definition
higher
Term
nucleophilic substitution
Definition
the reagent attacks the haloalkane & replaces the halide; an electrophilic carbon in haloalkanes reacts with the nucleophile (substance that contains an unshared electron pair)
Term
leaving group
Definition
the ion that is displaced in a nucleophilic substitution (i.e. the halide)
Term
substrate
Definition
the organic starting material (i.e. the haloalkane) that is the target of attack by a nucleophile
Term
If the nucleophile in a nucleophilic substitution is _____, then the substitution will result in a cationic species (+ charge)
Definition
neutral
Term
Why are halides unique in nucleophilic substitution?
Definition
they may serve as leaving groups as well as nucleophiles, making some reactions reversible
Term
Curved arrows _____ start at electron-deficient atoms, such as H+
Definition
never
Term
The movement of a proton is depicted by an arrow pointing from _____ toward _____
Definition
an electron source (lone pair or bond); the proton
Term
rate law
Definition
the rate equation for a chemical process; established by comparing the rate of product formation beginning with several different concentrations of the starting materials
Term
second-order kinetics
Definition
rates are directly proportional to the concentrations of both substrate & nucleophile
Term
bimolecular
Definition
a mechanism in which the two reactants interact in a single step
Term
bimolecular nucleophilic substitution/SN2
Definition
the general term applied to a bimolecular reaction; S = substitution, N = nucleophilic, 2 = bimolecular
Term
In a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution, bond making takes place _____ as bond breaking
Definition
at the same time
Term
concerted
Definition
a reaction in which bond making & bond breaking occur "in concert"
Term
frontside displacement
Definition
the nucleophile approached the substrate from the same side as the leaving group, one group exchanging for the other
Term
backside displacement
Definition
a reaction in which the nucleophile approaches carbon from the side opposite the leaving group
Term
In SN2 reactions, is the formation of the transition state a separate step?
Definition
no
Term
In SN2 reactions, the transition state only describes the geometric arrangement of the reacting species as they pass through the _____ of a _____ process
Definition
maximum energy point; single-step
Term
Frontside displacement should give rise to a product with the _____ configuration of the substrate
Definition
same
Term
Backside displacement should furnish a product with the _____ configuration of the substrate
Definition
opposite
Term
All SN2 reactions proceed with _____
Definition
inversion of configuration
Term
stereospecific
Definition
a process whose mechanism requires that each stereoisomer of the starting material transform into a specific stereoisomer of product
Term
retention of configuration
Definition
the result of the double inversion sequence of two SN2 processes
Term
In substrates bearing more than one stereocenter, where does inversion take place?
Definition
only at the carbons that undergo reaction with the incoming nucleophile
Term
leaving-group ability
Definition
the relative rate at which a leaving group can be displaced; correlated with a leaving group's capacity to accommodate a negative charge
Term
Leaving-group ability is inversely related to _____
Definition
base strength
Term
Are weak or strong bases best able to accommodate negative charge and therefore are the best leaving groups?
Definition
weak
Term
Good leaving groups are the _____ of strong acids
Definition
conjugate bases
Term
nucleophilicity
Definition
a nucleophile's relative nucleophilic strength
Term
Of a pair of nucleophiles containing the same reactive atom, the species with _____ is the more powerful nucleophile
Definition
a negative charge
Term
Of a base and its conjugate acid, the _____ is always more nucleophilic
Definition
base
Term
What is the relationship between charge of an attacking species and reaction speed?
Definition
the more negative the attacking species, the faster the reaction should be
Term
What is the relationship between basicity and reactivity of a nucleophile?
Definition
the more basic species is the more reactive nucleophile
Term
In the progression from the left to the right of the periodic table, does nucleophilicity increase or decrease?
Definition
decrease
Term
Basicity is a _____ property, measured by an equilibrium constant "K"
Definition
thermodynamic
Term
Nucleophilicity is a _____ phenomenon, quantified by comparing rates of reaction "k"
Definition
kinetic
Term
Nucleophilicity _____ in the progression down the periodic table
Definition
increases
Term
protic
Definition
solvents capable of hydrogen bonding
Term
aprotic
Definition
solvents incapable of hydrogen bonding; opposite of protic
Term
Why does nucleophilicity decrease down a column in the periodic table?
Definition
Solvation weakens the smaller nucleophiles at the top of the column, but can't affect the bigger nucleophiles at the bottom of the column as well
Term
Sterically bulky nucleophiles react _____
Definition
more slowly
Term
In aprotic solvents, the nucleophilicity of nucleophiles _____ down a group in the periodic table
Definition
decreases (opposite of protic!!!)
Term
The replacement of one hydrogen atom in a halomethane by a methyl group causes _____
Definition
significant steric hindrance & reduction of the rate of the SN2 reaction
Term
What is the relative effect of branching at positions farther from the site of reaction?
Definition
much smaller effect on the rate of reaction
Supporting users have an ad free experience!