alkyl halides + E2 reactions

[lovemcat]

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why does alkyl halides only act as substrate for E2 reactions?

 

[deleted329605]

I don't think that's necessarily true. I mean alkyl halides are not unique in that they are strong leaving groups. There are plenty others out there too.

 

[wish2bMD]

That's not true at all...what reaction the alkyl halide undergoes depends on factors such as the structure of the alkyl halide itself (such as sterics), the properties of the solvent, and the properties of the nucleophile (sterics/ reactivity).

Or are you asking if alkyl halides are the only things that can undergo E2?
Because as zwander stated, there are other good leaving groups that aren't halides.

 

[MD Odyssey]

why does alkyl halides only act as substrate for E2 reactions?

I'm assuming that you mean that they participate in E2 vs. E1 reactions.

It really depends upon the solvent and the substituents. I suppose if you had some strongly electron donating, or some sort of resonance stabilization, that you could get E1 reactions instead. It also depends upon your nucleophile.

 

[lovemcat]

oops my bad with the wording - sorry! :S

my question was: my tpr textbook says "only alkyl halides may act as the substrate for E2 reactions" and i was wondering why?

 

[plzNOCarribbean]

they don't, other compounds can too. A protonated hydroxyl group can act as a leaving group in an E2 reaction because it is weak base