Why This Chapter?
A good movie stirs emotions in us. Dramatized by fine actors, the motion picture delivers a story, communicates ideas, invokes feelings, displays beauty, and sometimes hopes to change our perception. Every character is vital to the storyline and, therefore, absolute.
Similarly, several actors deliver stellar performances in organic reactions, and these chemical reactions continually happen around and in us, changing our lives.
The chapter Fundamentals of Organic Reactions is your guide to understanding the key players in an organic reaction. We begin by learning about how to use curved arrows to depict organic reactions. We will also learn in which direction electrons flow and direct those reactions. The reactions occur due to the cast of important characters - electrophiles, nucleophiles, and the leaving groups. Together, they undergo various organic reactions, which we covered in Chapter 6 - Common Reaction Types.
In this chapter, we will unravel the basics of organic reactions and learn their language, style, and expressions step by step. With this knowledge, you will understand and appreciate the characters the next time you encounter a reaction.
- Types of Arrows Used in Chemistry
- Curved Arrows in Organic Chemistry- with Examples
- Electrophiles- Introduction, Identification and Reaction
- Formation and Classification of Electrophiles- Neutral and Charged
- Difference between Electrophiles and Lewis Acids
- Nucleophile- Identification and Role in a Reaction
- Types of Nucleophiles- Lone Pair
- Types of Nucleophiles- Pie Bond
- Types of Nucleophiles- Sigma Bond
- Periodic Trend and Order in Nucleophilicity
- Introduction to Reactions involving Nucleophiles
- Nucleophile Reactions- Aliphatic Displacement type - SN1, SN2
- Nucleophile Reactions- Acyl Displacement type
- Nucleophile reactions- Aromatic Displacement type- Electrophilic, Nucleophilic
- Addition Reactions- Electrophilic, Nucleophilic, and Acyl
- Ambident Nucleophiles- Introduction and Formation
- Ambident Nucleophile - Nature of the Substrate
- Ambident Nucleophile- Influence of the Positive Counter Ions
- Ambident Nucleophile- Effect of Solvent
- Lone Pair - Introduction and Formation
- Physical Properties Affected by the Lone Pair- Shape and Bond Angle
- Physical Properties Affected by the Lone Pair- Hydrogen Bonding
- Physical Properties Affected by the Lone Pair- Polarity and Dipole Moment
- Chemical property affected by the Lone pair- Nucleophilicity
- Leaving Group- Introduction and Nature
- Good and Bad Leaving Group
- Factors Determining Stability of the Leaving Groups- Electronegativity, Size, Resonance Stability
- Using pKa as a Measure of Leaving Group Ability
- Leaving Groups in Displacement Reactions
- Leaving Groups in Elimination Reactions