Give all the products that you would expect by reaction of 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbutane with methanol. Explain your answer.
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To determine the products formed by the reaction of 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbutane with methanol, we need to consider the reaction conditions and mechanism.
In this case, 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbutane is an alkyl bromide, and methanol is an alcohol. Therefore, we can expect a substitution reaction known as a nucleophilic substitution (SN) reaction to take place.
The reaction mechanism involved in this SN reaction is called an SN2 mechanism. The nucleophile, which is methanol (CH3OH), will attack the electrophilic carbon (the carbon bonded to the bromine) of 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbutane.
Since the reaction is SN2, a single step leads to the formation of products. Here's how it proceeds:
1. Methanol's oxygen atom acts as a nucleophile, attacking the carbon atom bonded to the bromine in 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbutane.
2. The bromine atom leaves, taking its electrons, resulting in the formation of a bromide ion (Br-).
3. The carbon-oxygen bond is formed, resulting in the formation of a new product: 2-methoxy-3,4-dimethylbutane.
Thus, the expected product of the reaction between 2-bromo-3,4-dimethylbutane and methanol is 2-methoxy-3,4-dimethylbutane.
It's important to note that other byproducts (such as methanol deprotonated by a strong base) and reaction side-products (like rearranged products) may be formed depending on the reaction conditions. However, under typical SN2 conditions, the primary product would be 2-methoxy-3,4-dimethylbutane.