Deciding SN1/SN2/E1/E2 (2) – The Nucleophile/Base
SN1 / SN2 / E1 / E2 The Nucleophile / Base This article assumes you understand the mechanisms of the SN1/SN2/E1 and E2 reactions. For
Read moreBond Dissociation Energies = Homolytic Cleavage
Here’s a point which causes a lot of confusion. Look at these two reactions. What do you think is the stronger bond, O-H or C-H?
Read moreThe Organic Chemistry Behind “The Pill”
The Most Interesting Man In The World passed away the other week. No, not THAT guy. He’s just an actor. The OTHER guy. The OTHER
Read moreFree Radical Reactions
Free Radical Reactions – Chlorination of Methane Alkanes are pretty boring, chemically speaking. They don’t tend to undergo many reactions. However, when they are treated
Read more3 Factors That Stabilize Free Radicals
What Factors Affect Free-Radical Stability? In the last post we introduced free radicals – neutral, electron-deficient chemical species with a partially filled orbital – and
Read moreWhat Factors Destabilize Free Radicals?
Three Factors Which Influence The Stability of Free Radicals: Hybridization, Electronegativity, and Polarizability. In the last post we talked about several factors that stabilize free
Read moreBond Strengths And Radical Stability
Bond Strengths And Radical Stability The last two posts have discussed factors which stabilize – and destabilize – free radials. So how do we quantify
Read moreFree Radical Initiation: Why Is “Light” Or “Heat” Required?
Free-Radical Reactions Require Heat Or Light For Initiation (Bond-Breaking) If you come across just a few free-radical reactions, you should notice a familiar pattern. Every
Read moreInitiation, Propagation, Termination
Initiation, Propagation, and Termination In Free Radical Reactions In the previous post on free radical substitution reactions we talked about why heat or light is
Read moreMonochlorination Products Of Propane, Pentane, And Other Alkanes
How Many Monochlorination Isomers Are Formed From Free-Radical Chlorination Of Alkanes? Last time we covered a comparatively simple reaction: free-radical chlorination of methane to (CH4)
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