More eliminaton problem

[Awuah29]

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So, my question is do you have always the major product forming in E2. I am confused. I was doing a problem where they asked
What would be the major product of dehydrohalogenaton of 2-chrloropentane by potassium tert-butoxide.

I checked of the major product and that was wrong. The answer was the minor product. Is this an exception because we of the solvent? I thought most of the time the major product will form.


Heelllllllllllllllllllp

 

[tranv117]

So, my question is do you have always the major product forming in E2. I am confused. I was doing a problem where they asked
What would be the major product of dehydrohalogenaton of 2-chrloropentane by potassium tert-butoxide.

I checked of the major product and that was wrong. The answer was the minor product. Is this an exception because we of the solvent? I thought most of the time the major product will form.


Heelllllllllllllllllllp

since its an asymmetric compound, there's two alpha protons that could be removed via t-butoxide. since t-butoxide is a big bulky base, it'll remove the proton from the methyl group of carbon 1 instead of the proton from C-3. This will form 1-pentene. Look up Zaitsev vs. Hoffmann.