Reaction Mechanisms

• Define Reaction Mechanisms:

  A series of steps that represent the overall reaction by using diagrams to show the movement of electrons with curly arrows and relevant dipoles
• State the three types of reactions:

  • addition
  • substitution
  • elimination
• What is the use of curly arrows in reaction mechanisms?

  to show the movement of an electron pair
• Define Radical:

  A highly reactive, neutral species with an unpaired electron
• Define Bond fission:

  The breaking of a covalent bond
• State the two types of bond fission:

  • heterolytic
  • homolytic
• How do you know if an atom is radical?

  • an unpaired electron
  • dot
• Define Addition reaction:

  A reaction where a double bond in an alkene becomes single so that other reactants can bond to the carbon atom to form one product
• Define Substitution reaction:

  A reaction where an atom or a group of atoms (functional group) from a reactant is replaced with atoms from another reactant
• Define Elimination reaction:

  A reaction where a small molecule is removed from a larger molecule
• Define Heterolytic Fission:

  The breaking of a covalent bond so that one of the bonded atoms receives both electrons from the bonding pair, forming a cation and an anion
• Define Homolytic Fission:

  The breaking of a covalent bond so that each bonded atom receives one electron from the bonding pair, forming two radicals
• The curly arrow goes from the electron dense region to the electron deficient region