Carbon-Carbon bond formation

Question 1

How does nucleophilic substitution of a haloalkane with cyanide ions achieve chain extension?

Answer 1

Another C is added to the chain.

Forms a nitrile.

Question 2

Why is ethanol used as a solvent instead of water when extending the carbon chain using cyanide ions?

Answer 2

The solvent used is ethanol, because if water was present OH- would act as the nucleophile, preventing chain extension

Question 3

How do cyanide ions react with carbonyls?

Answer 3

Nucleophilic addition.
Also forms a nitrile (same as nucleophilic substitution of haloalkanes with cyanide ions)

Question 4

What do Friedel-Crafts reactions do?

Answer 4

Friedel-Crafts reactions create new C-C bonds in organic compounds.

Question 5

What happens in Friedel-Crafts acylation, and why does it take place?

Answer 5

An RC=O group – an acyl group – is substituted for a hydrogen atom (bonded to a carbon atom) in the benzene ring.

Benzene rings are relatively stable and unreactive, so adding the acyl group can make benzene more reactive.