6 Introduction to Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Question 1

What is a Reaction Mechanism?

Answer 1

The Particular Sequence of electron movements in a chemical reaction

Question 2

What is the movement of electrons represented by?

Answer 2

Curved arrows

Question 3

Where do electrons flow at or near?

Answer 3

Functional groups

Question 4

What do arrows show?

Answer 4

Bond formation and bond breaking. They show electron flow not the movement of atoms

Question 5

How is the formal charge affected when the arrow moves towards and away from an atom?

Answer 5

If the arrow moves away from the atom the formal charge increases. If the arrow moves towards the atom the formal charge decreases

Question 6

What are Intermolecular reactions?

Answer 6

Reactions that occur between two or more molecules

Question 7

What are Intramolecular reactions?

Answer 7

Reactions within a single molecule

Question 8

What characteristics do resonance structures have?

Answer 8

Same placement of atoms just different electron placement

Question 9

What do the highest quality resonance structures have?

Answer 9

Most of the atoms have full octets
The fewest number of formal charges
Negative formal charges on the most electronegative atom
Positive formal charges located on the least electronegative atom
Like charges separated by the max distance possible