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The treatment of alkyl chlorides with aqueous KOH leads to the formation of alcohols but in presence of alcoholic KOH, alkenes are the major products. Explain why? |
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Answer» Solution :In aqueous solution, KOH is ALMOST completely ionized to give `OH^-` ions which being a strong nucleophile brings about a substitution reaction on alkyl halides to form alcohols. Further in the aqueous solution, `OH^(-)` ions are highly solvated (hydrated). this solvation REDUCES the basic character of `OH^(-)` ions which, therefore, fail to abstract a hydrogen from the `beta`-CARBON of the alkyl chloride to form an alkene. In contrast, an alcoholic solution of KOH contains alkoxiide `(RO^(-))` ions which being a much stronger base than `OH^(-)` ions PREFERENTIALLY eliminates a molecule of HCL from an alkyl chloride to form alkenes. |
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