Synthesis

Question 1

What is bond fission?

Answer 1

When an organic reaction takes place, bonds in the reactant molecules are broken and
bonds in the product molecules are made. The process of bond breaking is known as bond fission

Question 2

What are the two types of bond fission?

Answer 2

homolytic and heterolytic

Question 3

What is homolytic fission?

Answer 3

results in the formation of two neutral radicals
 occurs when each atom retains one electron from the
covalent bond and the bond breaks evenly
 normally occurs when non-polar covalent bonds are broken

Question 4

What is heterolytic fission?

Answer 4

 results in the formation of two oppositely charged ions
 occurs when one atom retains both electrons from the
covalent bond and the bond breaks unevenly
 normally occurs when polar covalent bonds are broken

Question 5

What type of fission is more suitable for organic synthesis and why?

Answer 5

homolytic fission tend to result in the formation of very complex
mixtures of products, making them unsuitable therefore heterolytic fission tend to result in far fewer products than reactions involving homolytic fission, and so are better suited for organic synthesis

Question 6

What are nucelophiles?

Answer 6

 negatively charged ions or neutral molecules that are electron rich, such as
Cl- , Br- , OH- , CN − , NH3 and H20
 attracted towards atoms bearing a partial + or full positive charge
 capable of donating an electron pair to form a new covalent bond

Question 7

What are electrophiles?

Answer 7

 positively charged ions or neutral molecules that are electron deficient, such as
H+, NO2+ and SO3
 attracted towards atoms bearing a partial or full negative charge
 capable of accepting an electron pair to form a new covalent bond