MedVision ad

E1 or E2 mechanism when describing dehydration of ethanol? (1 Viewer)

sodiumbromate

New Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2016
Messages
7
Gender
Male
HSC
2017
I was wondering if the correct way to describe the dehydration process was with the E1 or E2 mechanism; different sources state different things.
  • E1 would be the removal of the hydroxyl group as it is protonated by the acid to form a carbocation and water, then the carbocation loses a proton to the acid and the subsequent unbonded electrons on each carbon results in a double bond.
  • E2 would be a single transition which skips the formation of a carbocation. Ethanol is protonated by the acid and water is removed, whilst a hydrogen ion on the beta carbon is removed, resulting in the two subsequent unbonded electrons on the carbons forming a covalent bond
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top