MO Models for SN1 & E1 Rxns

An essential aspect of SN1 and E1 reactions is the dissociation of the leaving group. These lecture slides from Day 16 (Oct 29-30) discussed the following phenomena and trends from an MO perspective:

  • How can we describe polar dissociation of a covalent bond (heterolysis) using MO models?
  • How does this MO model explain the reactivity of sp3 C-Cl vs. the lack of reactivity of sp2 C-Cl and sp C-Cl bonds?
  • How can we explain the stabilization of carbocations by vinyl groups (conjugation) and alkyl groups (hyperconjugation) using MO models?
  • How does this MO model explain the extreme acidity of carbocations?
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