organic synthesis

Subdecks (1)

Cards (34)

  • To convert an alkane into a halogenoalkane:
    • Reagent: Chlorine or bromine
    • Conditions: UV light
    • Mechanism name: Free radical substitution
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into an alkene:
    • Reagent: Ethanolic potassium hydroxide
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Elimination
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into a nitrile:
    • Reagent: Potassium cyanide
    • Conditions: Ethanolic/water mixture (so it doesn't dissociate) and heated under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into a primary amine:
    • Reagent: EXCESS concentrated ammonia (so more of the primary amines are made rather than secondary or tertiary)
    • Conditions: Ethanolic, heated under reflux in a pressurised sealed container (so it doesn't dissociate)
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into an alcohol:
    • Reagent: Potassium/sodium hydroxide
    • Conditions: AQUEOUS and heated under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into an alkene:
    • Reagent: Potassium hydroxide
    • Conditions: Ethanolic and done under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Elimination
  • To turn an alkene into a dihalogenoalkane:
    • Reagent: Bromine/chlorine
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Name of reaction: Electrophilic addition
  • To turn a dihalogenoalkane into a diol:
    • Reagent: Potassium hydroxide
    • Conditions: Aqueous, heat under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
    (mechanism is the same as a normal haloalkane)
  • To turn an alkene into a poly(alkene)
    Reagent: Alkene (acts as a monomer)
    Conditions: High pressure and a catalyst
    No mechanism required
  • To turn an alkene into an alcohol (using an acid catalyst):
    • Reagent: Ethene/Alkene
    • Conditions: High temperature (300C), high pressure (7100 kPa) and CONCENTRATED phosphoric acid catalyst
    • Name of reaction: Hydration/addition
  • To turn an alkene into an alkyl hydrogensulfate:
    • Reagent: CONCENTRATED sulfuric acid
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Type of reaction: Electrophilic addition
  • To turn an alkyl hydrogensulfate into an alcohol:
    • Reagent: Water
    • Conditions: Warm mixture
    • Type of reaction: Hydrolysis
  • To turn a primary alcohol into an aldehyde:
    • Reagent: LIMITED concentrated potassium dichromate and sulfuric acid
    • Conditions: Heated and distilled when formed
    • Type of reaction: Partial oxidation
  • To turn a primary alcohol into a carboxylic acid:
    • Reagent: EXCESS concentrated potassium dichromate and sulfuric acid
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Type of reaction: Oxidation
  • To turn a secondary alcohol into a ketone:
    • Reagent: Concentrated potassium dichromate and sulfuric acid
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Type of reaction: Oxidation
  • To turn an aldehyde/ketone into an alcohol:
    • Reagent: NaBH₄ in aqueous ethanol solution
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Type of reaction: Reduction/nucleophilic addition
    Catalytic hydrogenation using hydrogen and a nickel catalyst at a high pressure also achieves this
  • To turn an aldehyde/ketone into a hydroxynitrile:
    • Reagent: Sodium cyanide and dilute sulfuric acid
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Type of reaction: Nucleophilic addition
  • To form an ester:
    • Reagent: Carboxylic acid and alcohol
    • Conditions: Concentrated sulfuric acid and heated
    • Type of reaction: Esterification
    This reaction is not very efficient, as the reaction is very slow and the reaction is also reversible
  • To form a secondary amide:
    • Reagent: Acyl chloride/acid anhydride and primary amine
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Type of reaction: Nucleophilic addition-elimination
  • To form a primary amide:
    • Reagent: Acyl chloride/acid anhydride and ammonia
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Type of reaction: Nucleophilic addition-elimination
  • To form a carboxylic acid from an acyl chloride/acid anhydride:
    • Reagent: Acyl chloride/acid anhydride and water
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic addition-elimination
  • To form an ester using an acyl chloride/acid anhydride:
    • Reagent: Acyl chloride/acid anhydride and alcohol
    • Conditions: Room temperature
    • Name of reaction: Esterification
    This reaction is much more efficient for making esters compared to carboxylic acids. This is due to the reaction being far quicker, and the reaction is non-reversible
  • Hydrolysing esters using acids:
    • Reagent: Dilute hydrochloric acid and ester
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Products: Carboxylic acid and alcohol
    This reaction is reversible, and so the product yield isn't very high.
  • Hydrolysing esters using a base:
    • Reagent: Dilute sodium hydroxide and ester
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Products: Carboxylate salt and alcohol
    This reaction is non-reversible and so has a higher yield. Adding a strong acid to the mixture turns the carboxylate salt into a carboxylic acid
  • To form an alkane from an alkene:
    • Reagent: Hydrogen gas in the presence of a nickel catalyst
    • Conditions: High temperatures and pressure
    • Name of reaction: Hydrogenation
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into an alcohol:
    • Reagent: Aqueous potassium hydroxide
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into a nitrile:
    • Reagent: Hydrogen/potassium cyanide dissolved in ethanol/water solution
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
  • To turn a halogenoalkane into an amine:
    • Reagent: Ammonia dissolved in ethanol
    • Conditions: Heated under reflux in a sealed container
    • Name of reaction: Nucleophilic substitution
    Using an excess of ammonia increases the yield of the amine, as if the ammonia is limited then further substitutions between the halogenoalkanes and amines can occur
  • To turn a nitrile into an amine:
    • Reagent: LiAlH₄
    • Conditions: Ether solution/hydrogen gas using a nickel catalyst
    • Name of reaction: Reduction