Provide an example of a haloalkane undergoing dehydrohalogenation to form an alkene.
Question
Provide an example of a haloalkane undergoing dehydrohalogenation to form an alkene.
Solution
Sure, here's an example of a haloalkane undergoing dehydrohalogenation to form an alkene:
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Start with a simple haloalkane, such as 2-bromopropane (also known as isopropyl bromide). This compound has the formula CH3CHBrCH3.
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In the dehydrohalogenation process, a hydrogen atom and a halogen atom (in this case, bromine) are removed from the haloalkane. This is typically done using a strong base, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), in an alcoholic solution.
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The KOH will abstract a proton (H+) from the carbon atom adjacent to the carbon-bromine bond. This forms water and leaves behind a negatively charged carbon atom (a carbanion).
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This carbanion is unstable and will quickly lose the bromine atom, forming a double bond between the two carbon atoms. This results in the formation of an alkene.
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The final product in this case is propene (CH3CH=CH2).
So, the overall reaction is:
CH3CHBrCH3 + KOH -> CH3CH=CH2 + KBr + H2O
This is a simplified explanation and the actual mechanism involves several steps, but this gives you a basic idea of how a haloalkane can undergo dehydrohalogenation to form an alkene.
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