Organic Chemistry Divergent-Convergent reaction of 2-butanol

Chemistry Level 3

A solution of $\text{2-butanol}$ was split into two flasks labeled $A$ and $B$ . A mixture of $\text{phosphorus}$ and $\text{bromine}$ was added to flask $A$ ; to flask $B$ aqueous $\text{hydroxide}$ was poured in. The contents of flask $B$ were then transferred to flask $A$ . A product resulted from the mixture.

Input your answer as the number of $\text{hydrogen}$ divided by the number of $\text{carbons}$ in the final product, to two decimal places: $\text{Answer }= \frac{\text{Number of Hydrogens}_{\text{ product}}}{\text{Number of Carbons}_{\text{ product}}}.$

Hint: The reaction is $S_N2$ , not $E2$ .

David's Organic Chemistry Set

The answer is 2.25.

1 solution

David Hontz
Jan 3, 2017

In flask $A$ , $\text{phosphorus tribromide}$ substituted the $\text{alcohol}$ for a $\text{bromide}$ , forming $\text{2-bromo butane}$

Flask $B$ contained $\text{2-butoxide}$ from the removal of the $\text{alcoholic hydrogen}$ with $\text{hydroxide}$ .

The mixing of flasks $A$ and $B$ forms an ether through a $\text{Williamson Ether Synthesis}$ . The product is $\text{(2-butoxy)-2-butane}$ , which contains $18 \text{ hydrogen}$ and $8 \text{ carbons}$ .

$Answer = \frac{18 \text{ H}}{8 \text{ C}} = \boxed{2.25}$

Organic Chemistry Divergent-Convergent reaction of 2-butanol

David's Organic Chemistry Set

The answer is 2.25.

1 solution

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