11.4 Isomerism & 11.5 Introduction to Reaction Mechanisms Flashcards
1
Q
What are structural isomers? Required.
A
- Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulae
2
Q
List 3 things that can be different about structural isomers.
A
- Their carbon chains can be arranged differently; chain isomerism
- Their functional groups may be attached to different carbon atoms; positional isomerism
- They could have different functional groups (such as aldehydes and ketones); functional group isomerism
3
Q
What is a reaction mechanism?
A
- The sequence of bond-breaking and bond-forming that shows the path taken by electrons in a reaction; HOW a reaction takes place
4
Q
What are the 2 ways that covalent bonds break?
A
- Homolytic fission
- Heterolytic fission
5
Q
What is homolytic fission? Required.
A
- Each atom takes one of the electrons from the covalent bond, forming 2 radicals
6
Q
What is a radical? Required.
A
- A species with an unpaired electron
7
Q
How are radicals shown in a reaction mechanism?
A
- There is a dot next to them
8
Q
What is heterolytic fission? Required.
A
- When one of the atoms take both electrons from the covalent bond (this atom becomes a negative ion and the other therefore becomes a positive ion)
9
Q
What is a curly arrow? Required.
A
- The movement of an electron pair, showing either:
- The formation of a covalent bond
- Heterolytic fission
10
Q
What are the 3 types of reactions?
A
- Addition
- Substitution
- Elimination
11
Q
What happens in an addition reaction?
A
- 2 reactant join together to form 1 product
12
Q
What happens in a substitution reaction?
A
- An atom or group of atoms are replaced with a different atom or group of atoms
13
Q
What happens in an elimination reaction?
A
- A small molecule is removed from a larger one (1 reactant forms 2 products)
