I am trying to synthesize CH3CH2CH2CH2CL from only 2HC=CH2, and am unsure about which mechanism to use, any ideas?
To synthesize CH3CH2CH2CH2Cl (1-chlorobutane) from 2HC=CH2 (ethylene), you can follow the reaction through an addition-elimination mechanism using hydrochloric acid (HCl). Here's a step-by-step explanation of the mechanism:
Step 1: Add HCl to 2HC=CH2 to form a carbocation intermediate.
CH2=CH2 + HCl ⟶ CH3CH2+Cl^-
Step 2: Nucleophilic attack by chloride ion (Cl^-) on the carbocation.
CH3CH2+Cl^- ⟶ CH3CH2CH2Cl
Now, let's break down each step of the reaction:
Step 1: Protonation of the double bond
In the presence of HCl, the double bond in 2HC=CH2 gets protonated by H+ from HCl, leading to the formation of a carbocation intermediate: CH3CH2+.
Step 2: Nucleophilic attack by chloride ion
The chloride ion (Cl^-) acts as a nucleophile and attacks the positively charged carbocation, leading to the substitution of the hydrogen atom with the chloride atom. This results in the formation of 1-chlorobutane (CH3CH2CH2Cl).
So, by adding HCl to 2HC=CH2 and following the addition-elimination mechanism described above, you can synthesize 1-chlorobutane (CH3CH2CH2Cl) from ethylene (2HC=CH2).