Learning Objective: To study what reactive intermediates are, their types, and their role in organic chemistry.
Skill Level - Intermediate
Prerequisites:
Chapter: Reactive Intermediates
Author's Note: Not all reactions go from A to B in one step and may go through an intermediate step featuring reactive, short-lived species responsible for driving a reaction toward completion. These species are harnessed to undergo polymerization, addition, and displacement reactions, forming an important part of organic chemistry reactions.
Introduction to Reactive Intermediates in Organic Chemistry
A chemical reaction always begins with a reactant, a starting material that undergoes chemical changes. The addition of various reagents to the reactant triggers a chemical response. Therefore, if the reactants are affected in a chemical reaction, it is the reagents that cause it.
A chemical reaction is a chemical response that always begins with a reactant and is triggered by the addition of a reagent.
The reactant undergoes structural changes in such a reaction, and in most cases, it is fully used up to form products. Therefore, if the reactants are affected in a chemical reaction, the reagents cause it.
Sometimes, a stimulus in the form of a catalyst is also required to drive the reaction.
Such chemical reactions may not happen in a single step and require multiple steps. These steps involve the formation of intermediates before the formation of an actual product. These intermediates are called the ‘Reactive Intermediates’ and are essential for converting reactants into products.
For example, consider a ...
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Since they are short-lived and temporary, the intermediates are often chemically trapped using special reagents...
Types Of Reaction Intermediates
There are several types of reactive intermediates formed during organic reactions. Some of the most important reactive intermediates frequently encountered in Organic Chemistry are:
Carbocation
Carbanion
Free Radical (Carbon based)
Carbenes
Nitrenes
Benzynes
Next: Carbocation - Introduction, structure, and Types
Next: Formation of Carbocation
Next: Factors Stabilizing and Destabilizing the Carbocation
Next: Fate of the Carbocation
Next: General Carbocation Formation Reactions
Next: Carbanion - Introduction, Nature, and Types
Next: Carbanion Formation
Next: Carbanion Stabilization Methods
Next: Ease of Formation of Carbanion - Acidic Proton
Next: Fate of the Carbanion
Next: Free Radical - Introduction, Structure, and Types
Next: Formation of Carbon Centered Free Radicals
Next: Structure of Carbon Centered Free Radical
Next: Stability of Carbon Centered Free Radical
Next: Comparing Free Radical Stability using dissociation energy Values
Next: Fate of Free Radicals
Next: Common Reactions involving Carbon - Centered Free Radicals
