BRAINCAKEUnsymmetrical Molecules
When a hydrogen halide adds to an unsymmetrical alkene, such as propene, the H can join either carbon of the C=C, so two different products are possible:
CH3CH=CH2 + HBr → CH3CHBrCH3 (major) or CH3CH2CH2Br (minor)
2-bromopropane is the major product and 1-bromopropane is the minor product. The reason lies in the carbocation formed in step 1.
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Key terms in this lesson
- carbocation
- A positively charged carbon ion formed when a carbon atom loses a share in a bonding pair of electrons.
- inductive effect
- The shifting of electron density along a chain of bonded atoms due to differences in electronegativity, such as electron release by alkyl groups.
More in Alkenes
- Electrophile
- Nucleophile
- Electrophilic Addition Mechanism
- Electrophilic Addition of Hydrogen Halides
- Addition Polymerisation
- Identifying the Monomer
- Identifying the Repeating Group
- Polymer Waste
All 19 lessons in Alkenes · All Edexcel AS-level Chemistry topics