Nucleophilic Substitution Flashcards
What are more reactive, haloalkanes or alkanes?
Haloalkanes.
Why are haloalkanes more reactive than alkanes?
Due to its electronegative halogen.
What kind of bond is a carbon-halogen bond?
A polar bond.
Which atom is partially positive on a carbon-halogen bond?
Carbon.
Which atom is partially negative on a carbon-halogen bond?
The halogen.
Why is a carbon-halogen bond polar?
Due to the big difference in electronegativity.
What two reactions do halogens undergo?
Nucleophilic substitution, and elimination reactions.
What happens in nucleophilic substitution reactions?
A halogen is substituted for another atom (nucleophile).
What are the products of nucleophilic substitution?
Alcohol, amines, and nitriles.
What substitutes the halogen in nuclear substitution?
The nucleophile.
What are haloalkanes in water?
Insoluble.
What solution is used for nucleophilic substitution?
An aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide with ethanol.
Why is ethanol used in the solution for nucleophilic substitution?
It’s all allows the organic layer of haloalkane and aqueous layer of sodium or potassium hydroxide to mix and react.
What kind of reaction is nucleophilic substitution?
A hydrolysis reaction.
Why is the reaction nucleophilic substitution warmed?
The reaction is very slow at room temperature.
What does the rate of the nucleophilic substitution reaction depend on?
The halogen present in the haloalkane.
What slows the rate of nucleophilic substitution?
The stronger the carbon-halogen bond.
With what bond is nucleophilic substitution the fastest?
Carbon-iodoalkane.
What haloalkane doesn’t react?
Fluoroalkanes.
What are the nucleophiles used in nucleophilic substitution?
Hydroxide and water.
Why is hydroxide a better nucleophile than water?
It carries a full negative charge whereas the oxygen on water carries a partial charge and is a much slower reaction.
What is a nucleophile?
An electron-rich species that can donate a pair of electrons.
What are nucleophiles known as and why?
Nucleus loving, as they are attracted to positively charged species.
Why do haloalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution?
Due to their carbon-haloalkane bond.
