Sn2/Sn1 helpppppp..

[tayloreve]

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Alrighty so I understand sn2/sn1 reactions, but what I don't understand, is how my organic teacher perceives them.

On a worksheet my teacher gave us, she gave us a secondary alkyl halide reacting with water and we are suppose to predict the products.

Water is a weak base/nucleophile, so shouldn't it undergo sn1? On her worksheet she does an sn2 reaction. She says she did an sn2 reaction because water is weak and not hindered. Even in my book when a secondary alkyl halide reacts with water it does sn1.

I am so frustrated at this point and my exam is tomorrow. I don't understand where she is getting this "if its secondary, weak and not hindered it is sn2." It states otherwise in my book. -_-

 

[DrRoyal Pains]

Thats weird. I would have predicted SN1 also. Maybe its a mistake? Email her.

 

[bluesolic]

It is SN1

when you put the secondary alkyl halide with water, there is separation between them( not miscible) , so they are not reacted or maybe little bit rxn within the line btween them unless you put hydroxide with water, but in this case OH- will react , not water..

even though it goes to SN1 will happens, you have to put some acetone or anything catalizes the rxn otherwise it will take forever. because they are not miscible at all.

I suggest you to ask your teacher before the exam to make sure

 

[Dotoday]

It is a mistake. Water is a polar protic solvent. If it is a secondary halide it will do sn1.