Iodomethane (CH3I) is a commonly used reagent in organic chemistry. When used pr

Question

Iodomethane (CH3I) is a commonly used reagent in organic chemistry. When used properly, this reagent allows chemists to introduce methyl groups in many different useful applications. The chemical does pose a risk as a carcinogen, possibly owing to iodomethane’s ability to react with portions of the DNA strand (of they were to come in contact). Consider the following hypothetical initial rates data:

Which of the following could be a possible mechanism to explain the initial rate data?

Mechanism I

DNA + CH3I -> DNA + CH3+ + I-

Mechanism II

CH3I -> DNA + CH3+ + I- Slow

DNA + CH3+ -> DNA-CH3+ Fast

[DNA]0 (mmol/L) [CH3I]0 (mmol/L) Initial Rate (mmol/L s) 0.1 0.1 3.20 × 10-4 0.1 0.2 6.40 × 10-4 0.2 0.2 1.28 × 10-3

Explanation / Answer

Mechanism I

DNA + CH3I -> DNA + CH3+ + I-

Since rate of reaction is dependant on both the DNA and CH3I

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