SN2, E2, SN1, E1 Question

[letaps]

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Hey,

How can you tell whether a reaction will be E1, E2, SN1, or SN2?

and

How do you distinguish between a strong nucleophile and a strong base? aren't strong lewis bases the same as strong nucleophiles because lewis bases are electron pair donators and nucleophile give up electrons....

Thanks

 

[loveoforganic]

http://bama.ua.edu/~snowden/SNXvsEXdecisiondiagram.pdf

http://www.haverford.edu/wintnerorganicchem/11_06_Text.pdf

Two awesome links that should answer both of your questions.

 

[Doodl3s]

SN2 favors primary carbon substrate in an Aprotic polar solvent,
E2 requires a strong base (bulkier the better) can be on any substrate (usually primary or secondary though
E1 and SN1 require at least a secondary carbon, mostly tertiary. 1's also like polar PRotic solvents
heat will favor E over Sn
a base and nucleophile are Generally similar except for two things, physical size and solvation....
thats why (Ch3)CO- will always be elimination, its just not gonna add to anything.
-and as far as solvation, F- SHOULD be a better nucleophile, but its SOO basic that it gets complexed by a lot of water which takes it out of play, kinda the same with Cl too. Thats why Br- and I- like SN2, because they are not very strong bases, but they're small and not solvated so they can easily attack.

Edit: OR love for organic beat me to it >_<