Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

A student ran two separate substitution reactions, Reaction A and Reaction B tha

ID: 907781 • Letter: A

Question

A student ran two separate substitution reactions, Reaction A and Reaction B that utilized an alkyl halide and a nucleophile. However, she did not know if the reactions proceeded through an SN1 or SN2 mechanism. To determine the mechanism for both reactions, the student increased the concentration of the nucleophile in both Reactions A and B. The rate of reaction for Reaction A remained the same. The rate of reaction for Reaction B increased.

1. Which reaction is the SN1 reaction? Why?

2. Which reaction is the SN2 reaction? Why?

Explanation / Answer

SN2 : rate of reaction = K [R-X][Nu-]

SN1 : rate of reaction = K [R-X]

in SN2 the rate of reaction depends up on R-X,Nu- .so that by increasing concentration of Nu- , rate increases . but not in SN1.

Reaction A = SN1 ,   Reaction B = SN2.