Haloalkanes - What Are the SN2 and SN1 Mechanisms for Nucleophilic Substitution?

5 important questions on Haloalkanes - What Are the SN2 and SN1 Mechanisms for Nucleophilic Substitution?

What is a bimolecular reaction?

A reaction in which two species are involved in the reaction leading to the transitional state.

By what is the SN2 reaction driven?

By the attraction between the negative charge of the nucleophile and the center of the positive charge of the electrophile.

What is a unimolecular reaction?

A reaction in which only one species is involved in the reaction leading to the transition state.
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What happens when the SN1 reaction is carried out on a 2o haloalkane?

The carbocation can rearrange creating a more stable 3o carbocation.

Why is it that a SN1 reaction carried out at a tetrahedral stereocenter results in a racemic mixture?

The carbocation is flat and the probability of the attack of the nucleophile is the same on both sides of the plane.

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