It talks about Cl2 excess and wants to know how it adds to a ketone, why does two cl add to each alpha carbon? Thanks
Dat destroyer question 14
- Thread starter jd399
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Hydrogens alpha of ketones are slightly acidic due to the oxygen's electron withdrawing effect. So in water, those hydrogens are in an acid/base equilibrium, leaving the carbon and coming back on. If there is enough chlorine around, sometimes a chlorine will jump on when a hydrogen leaves. Same with D2O, in excess D2O eventually all the alpha hydrogens will be replaced by D. I think this reaction has a slight Sn1 character, but I could be wrong.
