Alkenes 1 Flashcards
What is the general formula of an alkene
CnH2n
Describe the shape of an alkene
- Alkenes are planar (flat) molecules and this makes the angles between each bond roughly 120 degrees.
- Unlike the C—C bond in alkanes, there is no rotation around the C=C double bond and so if a hydrogen is replaced by a different molecule, the alkene, the molecule will still have the same flat shape.
What is an electrophile
A lone pair acceptor
In general, describe the mechanism for electrophilic addition in Alkenes
1) The electrophile is attracted to the double bond
2) Electrophiles are positively charged and accept a pair of electrons from the double bond. The electrophile may be a positively charged ion or have a positively charged area.
3) A positive carbocation is formed.
4) A negatively charged ion forms a bond with the carbocation.
What is Markownikoffs rule for the electrophilic addition of alkenes
When a hydrogen halide reacts with an alkene, it is more likely to bond with the carbon atom that is attached to the most alkyl groups
What is a tertiary carbocation
A positively charged carbon atom that has three alkyl groups attached.
What is a secondary carbocation
A positively charged carbon atom that is attached to two alkyl groups
What is a primary carbocation
A positively charged carbon atom that is attached to one alkyl group
From most stable to least, list the possible carbocations produced during electrophilic addition
Tertiary
Secondary
Primary
Why does the halogen atom bond mostly to the carbon atom attached to the most alkyl groups (most stable carbocation)
Because alkyl groups have a tendency to release electrons which is a positive inductive effect.
When Alkenes react with halogen molecules, what happens
- Halogen molecules are diatomic.
- The two halogen atoms from the molecule add across the Alkenes double bond.
Describe what happens during the electrophilic addition of a hydrogen halide to an alkene
1) The halogen is more electronegative than the hydrogen, so a polar bond is formed.
2) The electrophile is the delta positive H+ from the H—X bond.
3) The delta positive H is attracted to the Carbon=Carbon double bond because of the double bonds high electron density.
4) One of the pairs of electrons from the C=C forms a bond with the delta positive H to form a positive carbocation and at the same time the electrons in the H—X bond are drawn towards the halogen.
5) The bond in the hydrogen halide breaks heterolytically. Both electrons from the shared pair go to the bromine atom because it is more electronegative than than hydrogen leaving a X- ion.
6) The :X then attaches to the positively charged carbon atom from the carbocation and forms a bond with one of its electron pairs.
Describe what happens during the electrophilic addition of a halogen molecule to an alkene to form a dihalogenoalkane
1) At any instant a halogen molecule is likely to have an instantaneous dipole.
2) the delta positive atom in this dipole is attracted to the electron rich C=C double bond and the X2 halogen molecule becomes the electrophile.
3) The electrons in the double bond are attracted to the delta positive halogen atom and repel the electrons in the X—X double bond. And this strengthens the dipole in the halogen molecule.
4) Two of the electrons from the double bond form a bond with the delta positive halogen atom and the the other halogen atom becomes a X- ion.
5) This leaves a carbocation, in which the carbon atom from the double bond that isn’t bonded to an X atom has a positive charge.
6) the X- ion now forms a bond with the carbocation.
How do you test for a double bond.
- Using the electrophilic addition of a halogen molecule to a alkene.
- When a few drops of bromine water ( which has an orange/brown colour) are added to an alkene,the solution is decolourised because the products are colourless.
What type of reaction is the electrophilic addition of sulphuric acid to an alkene
Exothermic