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8/12/2019 Loudon Ch 4 Alk Enes
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11
Alkenes are hydrocarbons that contain one or more carbon-carbon double bonds. Alkeneare sometimes called olefins, particularly in older literature and in the chemical industry
Ethylene is the simplest alkene.
Because compounds containing double or triple bonds have fewer hydrogens than the coresponding alkanes, they are classified as unsaturated hydrocarbons, in contrast to alkanes, which are classified as saturated hydrocarbons.
This chapter covers the structure, bonding, nomenclature, and physical properties oalkenes. Then, using a few alkene reactions, some of the physical principles are discussethat are important in understanding the reactivities of organic compounds in general.
4.1 STRUCTURE AND BONDING IN ALKENES
The double-bond geometry of ethylene is typical of that found in other alkenes. Ethylen
follows the rules for predicting molecular geometry (Sec. 1.3B), which require each carboof ethylene to have trigonal planar geometry; that is, all the atoms surrounding each carbolie in the same plane with bond angles approximating 120. The experimentally determinestructure of ethylene agrees with these expectations and shows further that ethylene is planar molecule. For alkenes in general, the carbons of a double bond and the atoms attached to them all lie in the same plane.
Models of ethylene are shown in Fig. 4.1, and a comparison of the geometries of ethyene and propene with those of ethane and propane is given in Fig. 4.2. Notice that th
H2Cor CH2ACA
H
H
H
H
C$
$))
ethylene(substitutive name:ethene)
Introduction to Alkenes:Structure and Reactivity
4
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112 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
carbon-carbon double bonds of ethylene and propene (1.330 and 1.336 , respectively)are shorter than the carbon-carbon single bonds of ethane and propane (1.536 and1.54 , respectively). This illustrates the relationship of bond length and bond order(Sec. 1.3B): double bonds are shorter than single bonds between the same atoms.
Another feature of alkene structure is apparent from a comparison of the structures of
propene and propane in Fig. 4.2. Notice that the carbon-carbon single bond of propene(1.501 ) is shorter than the carbon-carbon single bonds of propane (1.54 ). The shorten-ing of all these bonds is a consequence of the particular way that carbon atoms are hy-bridized in alkenes.
A. Carbon Hybridization in Alkenes
The carbons of an alkene double bond are hybridized differently from those of an alkane.In this hybridization (Fig. 4.3), the carbon 2s orbital is mixed, or hybridized, with only twoof the three available 2p orbitals. In Fig. 4.3, we have arbitrarily chosen to hybridize the 2pxand 2py orbitals. Thus, the 2pz orbital is unaffected by the hybridization. Because three or-bitals are mixed, the result is three hybrid orbitals and a leftover 2pz orbital. Each hybridorbital has one part s character and two partsp character. These hybrid orbitals are calledsp2 (pronounced s-p-two) orbitals, and the carbon is said to be sp2-hybridized. Thus, ansp2 orbital has 33% s character (in contrast to an sp3 orbital, which has 25% s character). Aperspective drawing of an sp2 orbital is shown in Fig. 4.4a, and a commonly used stylizedrepresentation of an sp2 orbital is shown in Fig. 4.4b. If you compare Fig. 4.4a withFig. 1.16a, you can see that the shape of an individual sp2 orbital is much like that of an sp3
orbital. The difference between these two types of hybrid orbitals is that the electron den-sity within an sp2 orbital is concentrated slightly closer to the nucleus. What is the reason
C
H
ethylene
L
LL
LL
L
H
1.330
121.7
109.3
116.6
1.081
1.50
1
1.090
1.091
C
L
LL
LLL
H
CH3
C
H
propene
LLL
L
LL
H
1.336 C
LL
L
L
LL
H
H
H
H
H
C
ethane
LLL
LLL
1.536
1.107
propane
C
H H
1.076
CH3
AAA
AAA
111.5
1.54
1.09
CH2
H3C LLL
LL
L
LLL
H
FIGURE 4.2 Structures of ethylene, ethane,propene, and propane.Compare the trigonal planar geometry
of ethylene (bond angles near 120) with the tetrahedral geometry of ethane (bond angles near 109.5).Notice that all carbon-carbon double bonds are shorter than carbon-carbon single bonds. Notice also that the
carbon-carbon single bond in propene is somewhat shorter than the carbon-carbon bonds of propane.
C C
(a)
(b)
FIGURE 4.1 Models
of ethylene. (a) A ball-
and-stick model. (b) A
space-filling model. No-tice that ethylene is a
planar molecule.
ANIMATION 4.1
Bonding inEthylene
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for this difference? This is a consequence of the larger amount of s character in an sp2 obital. Electron density in a carbon 2s orbital is concentrated a little closer to the nucleuthan electron density in a carbon 2p orbital. This in turn is a consequence of the lower energy of 2s electrons in atoms with atomic number > 1 (Sec. 1.7). The more s character hybrid orbital has, then, the more s-like its electrons are; that is, the closer its electronare to the nucleus.
Because the 2pxand 2py orbitals are used for hybridization, and because the 2s orbital spherical (that is, without direction), the axes of the three sp2 orbitals lie in thexy-plan(see Fig. 4.4c); they are oriented at the maximum angular separation of 120. Because thleftover (unhybridized) 2p orbital is a 2pz orbital, its axis is thez-axis, which is perpendicular to the plane containing the axes of the sp2 orbitals.
Conceptually, ethylene can be formed in the hybrid-orbital model by the bonding otwo sp2-hybridized carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms (Fig. 4.5 on p. 114). An sp
4.1 STRUCTURE AND BONDING IN ALKENES 11
LL
1s
1
atomic carbon:(1s)2(2s)2(2px)(2py)
carbon in ethylene
2pz
LL11
2(sp2) LL LL LL1 1 hybridorbitals12p LL LL LL
2s LL1s
1 1
LL111
1
mix 2s, 2px, and2py orbitals
unaffected byhybridization
unaffected by hybridization
2px 2py 2pz
2porbital
sp2orbit
sp2orbitals
(b) (c)
90
120
z
x
(a)
wave peakwavetrough
nodalsurface
FIGURE 4.3 Orbitals of an sp2-hybridized carbon are derived conceptually by mixing one 2s orbital an
two 2p orbitals, in this case the 2px
and 2py
orbitals. Notice that three sp2 hybrid orbitals are formed and on
2pz
orbital remains unhybridized.
FIGURE 4.4 (a) The general shape of an sp2 hybrid orbital is very similar to that of an sp3 hybrid orbital, wi
a large and small lobe of electron density separated by a node. (Compare with Fig. 1.16a.) (b) A commo
stylized representation of an sp2 orbital. (c) Spatial distribution of orbitals on an sp2-hybridized carbon atom
Notice that the axes of the three sp2 orbitals lie in a common plane (thexy-plane in this case) at angles of 120
and the axis of the 2pz
orbital is perpendicular to this plane.
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orbital on one carbon containing one electron overlaps with an sp2 orbital on another to forma two-electron sp2-sp2 bond. Each of the two remaining sp2 orbitals, each containing oneelectron, overlaps with a hydrogen 1s orbital, also containing one electron, to form a two-electron C
LH sp2-1s bond. These orbitals account for the four carbon-hydrogen bonds
and one of the two carbon-carbon bonds of ethylene, that is, the sigma-bond frameworkofethylene. (We have not yet accounted for the 2p orbital on each carbon.) Notice carefullythat the trigonal planar geometry of each carbon of ethylene is a direct consequence of theway its sp2 orbitals are directed in space. Once again, we see that hybridization and mole-cular geometry are related. (Sec. 1.9). Whenever a main-group atom has trigonal planargeometry, its hybridization is sp2. Whenever such an atom has tetrahedral geometry, itshybridization is sp3.
What about the leftover 2pz orbitals? These two 2p orbitals are used to form the sec-ond carbon-carbon bond of ethylene by a side-to-side overlap (Fig. 4.6). It is useful to de-scribe this overlap with a molecular-orbital approach (Sec. 1.8). This overlap results in theformation of both bonding and antibonding molecular orbitals (Fig. 4.6; see also Problem1.37, Chapter 1). These molecular orbitals are formed by additive and subtractive combi-
nations of carbon 2p orbitals in much the same way that the molecular orbitals of the hy-drogen molecule are formed by additive and subtractive combinations of hydrogen 1s or-bitals (Sec. 1.8A). However, the overlap of 2p orbitals is not head-to-head, as in abond, but rather is side-to-side. The bonding molecular orbital, which results fromadditive overlap of the two carbon 2p orbitals, is called a molecular orbital. (Note thatis the Greek equivalent ofp.) This molecular orbital, like thep orbitals from which it isformed, has a nodal plane (shown in Fig. 4.6); this plane coincides with the plane of theethylene molecule. The antibonding molecular orbital, which results from subtractive over-lap of the two carbon 2p orbitals, is called a * molecular orbital. It has two nodes. Oneof these nodes is a plane coinciding with the plane of the molecule, and the other is a planebetween the two carbons, perpendicular to the plane of the molecule. The bonding () mol-ecular orbital lies at lower energy than the isolated 2p orbitals, whereas the antibonding
(*) molecular orbital lies at higher energy. By the Aufbau principle, the two 2p elec-trons (one from each carbon, with opposite spin) occupy the molecular orbital of lowestenergythe molecular orbital. The result of this occupation is the second of the carbon-carbon bonds, called a bond. The antibonding molecular orbital is unoccupied.
Unlike a bond, a bond is not cylindrically symmetrical about the line connecting thetwo nuclei. The bond has electron density both above and below the plane of the ethyl-ene molecule, with a wave peak on one side of the molecule, a wave trough on the other,and a node in the plane of the molecule. The bond is one bondwith two lobes, just as a
114 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
sp2-1s bond
H
H H
H
2porbital
sp2-sp2 bond
FIGURE 4.5 A hybrid-orbital picture for thebonds of ethylene. A 2p orbital on each carbon (dashed lines)
is left over after construction of bonds from hybrid orbitals. (The bond lengths are exaggerated for clarity.)
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B. Cis-Trans Isomerism
The bonding in alkenes has other interesting consequences, which are illustrated by thefour-carbon alkenes, the butenes. The butenes exist in isomeric forms. First, in the buteneswith unbranched carbon chains, the double bond may be located either at the end or in themiddle of the carbon chain.
Isomeric alkenes, such as these, that differ in the position of their double bonds are furtherexamples of constitutional isomers (Sec. 2.4A).
The structure of 2-butene illustrates another important type of isomerism. It turns outthat there are two separable, distinct 2-butenes. One has a boiling point of 3.7 C; the otherhas a boiling point of 0.88 C. In the compound with the higher boiling point, called cis-2-butene or (Z)-2-butene, the methyl groups are on the same side of the double bond. In theother 2-butene, called trans-2-butene, or (E)-2-butene, the methyl groups are on oppositesides of the double bond.
These isomers have identical atomic connectivities (CH3 connected to CH, CH doublybonded to CH, CH connected to CH3). Despite their identical connectivities, the two com-
pounds differ in the way their constituent atoms are arranged in space. Compounds withidentical connectivities that differ in the spatial arrangement of their atoms are calledstereoisomers. Hence, cis- and trans-2-butene are stereoisomers. Cis-trans (or E,Z) iso-merism is only one type of stereoisomerism; other types will be considered in Chapter 6.The (E) and (Z) notation has been adopted by the IUPAC as a general way of naming cisand trans isomers, and is discussed in Sec. 4.2B.
The interconversion of cis- and trans-2-butene requires a 180 internal rotation aboutthe double bond, that is, a rotation of one carbon while holding the other carbon stationary.
(4.1)
(interconversion does not occur at ordinary temperatures)
180rotation
cis-2-butene
g
g
$ $$ $
H H
H3C CH3
CAC
trans-2-butene
$ $$ $
H
HH3C
CH3
CAC
cis-2-butene(Z)-2-butene
C C
CC
trans-2-butene(E)-2-butene
C
C C
C
H2C CHA CH2L CH3L1-butene
H3C CHACHL CH3L2-butene
116 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
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Because cis- and trans-2-butene do not interconvert, even at relatively high temperatureit follows that this internal rotation must be very slow. Why is this so? For such an internarotation to occur, the 2p orbitals on each carbon must be twisted away from coplanarity
that is, the bond must be broken. (Fig. 4.7). Because bonding is energetically favorablelack of it is energetically costly. It takes more energy to break the bond than is availablunder normal conditions; thus, the bond in alkenes remains intact, and internal rotatioabout the double bond does not occur. In contrast, internal rotation about the carbon-carbosingle bonds of ethane or butane can occur rapidly (Sec. 2.3) because no chemical bond ibroken in the process.
The cis and trans stereoisomers of 2-butene are the two configurations of 2-buteneMolecular configurations are forms of a molecule that differ in the spatial arrangements otheir atoms. In the case of 2-butene, the two configurations differ by an internal rotation(Youll learn other ways in which configurations can differ in Chapter 6.) In this sense, thtwo configurations of 2-butene are conceptually like the conformations of butane, with onvery importantdistinction: conformations are in very rapid equilibrium at ordinary tem
peratures; this means that we cannot isolate individual conformations under the usual laboratory conditions. In contrast, configurations do not interconvert, that is, they are stablover time.
How can you know whether an alkene can exist as cis and trans (orEandZ) stereoisomers? One way to tell is to interchange mentally the two groups attached to either carboof the double bond. This process will give you one of two results: either the resulting moecule will be identical to the originalsuperimposable on the original atom-for-atomoit will be different. If it is different, it can only be a stereoisomer (because its connectivitis the same). Lets illustrate with two cases.
In the following case, interchanging two groups at either carbon of the double bongives different molecules, hence, stereoisomers.
(4.2
different molecules(stereoisomers)
interchange
circled groups$ $$ $
H CH2CH3
H3C CH3
CAC$ $$ $H
H3C
CH3
CAC
CH2CH3
4.1 STRUCTURE AND BONDING IN ALKENES 11
2
trans
LLH3CC C
H
H
CH3 H
cis
H3C
C C
LLH
CH
26
CH3
H3C
C
H
bond broken
C
HH
6FIGURE 4.7 Internal rotation about the carbon-carbon double bond in an alkene requires breaking th
bond.This does not occur at ordinary temperatures because too much energy is required.
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(Verify that interchanging the two groups at the other carbon of the double bond gives thesame result.) In contrast, interchanging two groups attached to a carbon of the double bondin the following structure gives back the same molecule:
The molecule on the right at first may not lookidentical to the one on the left, but it is; thetwo are just drawn differently.If this is not clear, build a model of each molecule and showthat the two can be superimposed atom-for-atom!
When an alkene can exist as cis and trans (orEandZ) stereoisomers, both carbons of thedouble bond are stereocenters. Astereocenter is an atom at which the interchange of twogroups gives a stereoisomer. (Another term that means the same thing is stereogenic atom.)
Because exchange of the two groups at either carbon of the double bond gives stereoiso-mers, each of these carbons is a stereocenter. In contrast, neithercarbon of the double bond
in the alkene of Eq. 4.3 is a stereocenter, because exchange of the groups at either carbongives back the same structure.Youll learn in Chapter 6 that cis-trans isomers are not the only type of stereoisomer. In
every set of stereoisomers we encounter, well be able to identify one or more stereocentersthat can be used to generate the set of stereoisomers by the interchange of attached groups.
(4.4)
These carbonsare stereocenters
$ $$$
H
CH2CH3H3C
CH3
CAC
stereoisomers
These carbonsare stereocenters
$$ $
H CH2CH3
H3C $CH3
CAC
(4.3)
identical molecules
interchangecircled groups $
$$ $
CH3
H3C
H3C
H
CAC$ $
$ $CH3H3C
H3C H
CAC
118 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
Study Guide Link 4.2Different Ways to Draw the
Same Structure
g
PROBLEM
4.1 Which of the following alkenes can exist as cis-trans (orE,Z) isomers? Identify the stereo-centers in each.
(a) (b)
(c) (d) (e)
(Hint for part (e): Try to build a model of both stereoisomers, but dont break yourmodels!)
cyclobutene
B
2-methyl-2-pentene
CH3CH2CH CCH3A
CH3
"H2C CH CH3A L CHLCHA1,3-pentadiene
CH3CH2CH CHCH2CH3A
3-hexene
H2C CHCH2CH2CH3A
1-pentene
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4.2 NOMENCLATURE OF ALKENES
A. IUPAC Substitutive Nomenclature
The IUPAC substitutive nomenclature of alkenes is derived by modifying alkane nomenclature in a simple way. An unbranched alkene is named by replacing the ane suffix in thname of the corresponding alkane with the ending ene. The carbons are numbered from onend of the chain to the other so that the double bond receives the lowest number.
The IUPAC recognizes an exception to this rule for the name of the simplest alkeneH2CACH2, which is usually called ethylene rather than ethene. (Chemical Abstrac(Sec. 2.4D, p. 61), however, uses the substitutive name ethene.)
The names of alkenes with branched chains are, like those of alkanes, derived from theprincipal chains. In an alkene, the principal chain is defined as the carbon chain containing the greatest number of double bonds, even if this is not the longest chain. If more thaone candidate for the principal chain has equal numbers of double bonds, the principchain is the longest of these. The principal chain is numbered from the end that results ithe lowest numbers for the carbons of the double bonds.
When the alkene contains an alkyl substituent, the position of the double bond, not thposition of the branch, determines the numbering of the chain. However, the position of thdouble bond is cited in the name afterthe name of the alkyl group. The following studproblem shows how these principles are implemented.
Name the following compound using IUPAC substitutive nomenclature.
Solution The principal chain is the longest continuous carbon chain containing both carbons ofthe double bond, as shown in color in the following structure. Note in this case that the principalchain is notthe longest carbon chain in the molecule. The principal chain is numbered from the endthat gives the double bond the lowest number, in this case, 1. The substituent group is a propylgroup. Hence, the name of the compound is 2-propyl-1-heptene:
H2C C
CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 principal chain (longest chaincontaining double bond;double bond receives lowest number)
correct numbering
position of substituent group
2-propyl-1-hepteneA CH2CH2CH3L"1 27incorrect numbering 6
3 4 5 6 75 4 3 2 1
position of double bond
H2C C
CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3
A CH2CH2CH3L"Study Problem 4.1
H2C CHA CH2CH2CH2CH3L1 2 3 4 5 6 1-hexeneposition of double bond
hexane +ene =hexene
4.2 NOMENCLATURE OF ALKENES 11
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If a compound contains more than one double bond, the ane ending of the correspond-ing alkane is replaced by adiene (if there are two double bonds), atriene (if there are threedouble bonds), and so on.
Name the following compound:
Solution The principal chain (color in the following structure) is the chain containing the greatestnumber of double bonds. One possible numbering scheme (color) gives the first-encountered carbonsof the two double bonds the numbers 1 and 4, respectively; the other possible numbering scheme(black) gives the first-encountered carbons of the double bonds the numbers 2 and 5, respectively.We compare the two possible numbering schemes number by number, that is, (1,4) versus (2,5). Thelowest number at first point of difference (1 versus 2) determines the correct numbering. Thecompound is a 1,4-hexadiene, with a butyl branch at carbon-4, and a methyl branch at carbon-5:
If the name remains ambiguous after determining the correct numbers for the doublebonds, then the principal chain is numbered so that the lowest numbers are given to thebranches at the first point of difference.
Name the following compound:
Solution Two ways of numbering this compound give the double bond the numbers 1 and 2.
y"
%
CH3
CH32
1
6
5
4
3
2,3-dimethylcyclohexene(incorrect)
y"
%
CH3
CH31
2
3
4
5
6
1,6-dimethylcyclohexene(correct)
possible names:
y"
%
CH3
CH3
Study Problem 4.3
CH3CH2CH2CH2 CL CCH3
A CH3
correct numberingincorrect numbering
number of double bonds
positions of double bonds
positions of substituents
4-butyl-5-methyl-1,4-hexadiene
principal chain
LCH2 CHL CH2A3 2
54 61
165
34
2
"
CH3CH2CH2CH2 C
CH2
L"CHL CH2A
C
CH3
A CH3L"Study Problem 4.2
H2C CHCH2CH2CH
1,5-hexadiene
CH2A A
120 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
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In this situation choose the numbering scheme that gives the lowest number for the methylsubstituents at the first point of difference. In comparing the substituent numbering schemes(1,6) with (2,3), the first point of difference occurs at the first number (1 versus 2). The (1,6)numbering scheme is correct because 1 is lower than 2. Notice that the number 1 for thedouble bond is not given explicitly in the name, because this is the only possible number. That
is, when the double bond in a ring receives numerical priority, its carbons mustreceive thenumbers 1 and 2.
Substituent groups may also contain double bonds. Some widely occurring groups othis type have special names that must be learned:
Other substituent groups are numberedfrom the point of attachment to the principal chain
The names of these groups, like the names of ordinary alkyl groups, are constructed fromthe name of the parent hydrocarbon by dropping the final e from the name of the corre
sponding alkene and replacing it withyl. Thus, the substituent in the second example abovis butene + yl = butenyl. Notice the use of parentheses to set off the names of substituenwith internal numbering.
Finally, some alkenes have nonsystematic traditional names that are recognized bthe IUPAC. These can be learned as they are encountered. Two examples are styrene anisoprene:
(Recall from Sec. 2.9B that Ph
Lrefers to the phenyl group, a singly substituted benzen
ring.)
styrene
Ph CH CH2L Aisoprene
CH2AH2C C CHA LCH3
"
jLCH2LCHACHLCH33-vinylcyclohexene 1-(2-butenyl)cyclohexene
position of double bond withinthe substituent
position of the substituent groupon the principal chain
2
1 21lLCHACH2
allyl
H2C CH CH2A L Lvinyl
H2C CHA Lisopropenyl
H2C CA LCH3
"
4.2 NOMENCLATURE OF ALKENES 12
PROBLEMS
4.2 Give the structure for each of the following:
(a) 2-methylpropene (b) 4-methyl-1,3-hexadiene (c) 1-isopropenylcyclopentene(d) 5-(3-pentenyl)-1,3,6,8-decatetraene
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4.4 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ALKENES
Except for their melting points and dipole moments, many alkenes differ little in thei
physical properties from the corresponding alkanes.
Like alkanes, alkenes are flammable, nonpolar compounds that are less dense than, and in
soluble in, water. The lower molecular weight alkenes are gases.The dipole moments of some alkenes, though small, are greater than those of the corre
sponding alkanes.
How can we account for the dipole moments of alkenes? Remember that the electro
density in sp2 orbitals lies closer to the nucleus than it does in sp3 orbitals (Sec. 4.1A). I
other words, an sp2 carbon has a greater attraction for electrons. This, in turn, means tha
an sp2 carbon is somewhat more electronegative than an sp3 carbon. As a result, ansp2-sp3 carbon-carbon bond has a small bond dipole (Sec. 1.2D) in which the sp3 carbon
the positive end and the sp2 carbon is the negative end of the dipole.
The dipole moment of cis-2-butene is the vector sum of the H3CLC and HLC bondipoles. Although both types of bond dipole are probably oriented toward the alkene car
bon, there is good evidence (Problem 4.56) that the polarization of the H3CLC bond greater. This is why cis-2-butene has a net dipole moment.
net dipolemoment
$ $$ $H H
H3C CH3
CACbond dipoles
polarization of electron densitytoward trigonal carbonH3C
sp3
sp2
$)CA
CA
H
CH3
H
H3C
C$
$) )
= 0.25 D
H3CLCH2LCH2LCH3= 0 D
CH3(CH2)4CH3
boiling pointmelting pointdensitywater solubilitydipole moment
63.4 C-139.8 C0.673 g/mLnegligible
0.46 D
68.7 C-95.3 C0.660 g/mLnegligible0.085 D
H2C CH(CH2)3CH3A
1-hexene hexane
4.9 An unknown compound contains 85.60% carbon and 14.40% hydrogen by mass. How
many rings or double bonds does it have?
4.10 What is the contribution of a triple bond to the unsaturation number?
4.4 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ALKENES 12
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In summary: Bonds from alkyl groups to trigonal planar carbon are polarized so that
electrons are drawn away from alkyl groups toward the trigonal carbon. An equivalent
statement is that a trigonal-planar (that is, sp2-hybridized) carbon withdraws electrons from
an alkyl group.
4.5 RELATIVE STABILITIES OF ALKENE ISOMERS
When we ask which of two compounds is more stable, we are asking which compound has
lower energy. However, energy can take different forms, and the energy we use to measure
relative stability depends on the purpose we have in mind. If we are interested in the po-
sition of chemical equilibrium, then the standard free-energy change (DG
) for the equi-
librium is the energy measurement of interest (Sec. 3.5). However, the free-energy changefor a reaction is not the same as the total energy change. If we want to inquire about the rel-
ative stabilities of the bonding arrangements in two different molecules, we need to know
their relative total energies. For our purposes, the relative total energies of two compounds
are essentially the same as their relative standard enthalpies, or heat contents, abbreviated
DH. Section 4.5A will show how the standard enthalpies of organic compounds are ex-pressed. Then, in Section 4.5B, youll learn what the enthalpies of alkenes can reveal about
the relative stabilities of different bonding arrangements in alkenes.
A. Heats of Formation
The relative enthalpies of many organic compounds are available in standard tables as
heats of formation. The standard heat of formation of a compound, abbreviated DHf, isthe heat change that occurs when the compound is formed from its elements in their naturalstate at 1 atm pressure and 25 C. Thus, the heat of formation of trans-2-butene is the DHof the following reaction:
4 H2 + 4 C LT trans-2-butene (C4H8) (4.8)The sign conventions used in dealing with heats of reaction are the same as with free en-
ergies: the heat of any reaction is the difference between the enthalpies of products and
reactants.
DH(reaction) =H(products) -H(reactants) (4.9)A reaction in which heat is liberated is said to be an exothermic reaction, and one in which
heat is absorbed is said to be an endothermic reaction. The DH of an exothermic reaction,by Eq. 4.9, has a negative sign; the DH of an endothermic reaction has a positive sign. Theheat of formation of trans-2-butene (Eq. 4.8) is -11.6 kJ/mol (-2.72 kcal/mol); this meansthat heat is liberated in the formation of trans-2-butene from carbon and hydrogen, and that
the alkene has lower energy than the 4 moles each of C and H2 from which it is formed.
Heats of formation are used to determine the relative enthalpies of molecules, that is,
which of two molecules has lower energy. How this is done is illustrated in the following
study problem.
4.11 Which compound in each set should have the larger dipole moment? Explain.
(a) cis-2-butene or trans-2-butene (b) propene or 2-methylpropene
PROBLEM
128 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
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Calculate the standard enthalpy difference between the cis and trans isomers of 2-butene. Specify
which stereoisomer is more stable. The heats of formation are, for the cis-isomer, -7.40 kJ/mol,and for the trans-isomer, -11.6 kJ/mol (-1.77 and -2.72 kcal/mol, respectively).Solution The enthalpy difference requested in the problem corresponds to the standard DH
of
the following hypothetical reaction:
(4.10
To obtain the standard enthalpy difference, apply Eq. 4.9 using the corresponding heats of formation i
place of the H values. Thus,DHf for the reactant, cis-2-butene, is subtracted from that of the producttrans-2-butene. TheDH for this reaction, then, is -11.6 - (-7.40) \ -4.2 kJ/mol (-1.0 kcal/mol)This means that trans-2-butene is more stable than cis-2-butene by 4.2 kJ/mol (1.0 kcal/mol).
The procedure used in Study Problem 4.6 uses the fact that chemical reactions and the
associated energies can be added algebraically. (This principle is known as Hesss law o
constant heat summation.) What we have really done in the study problem is to add th
two formation reactions and their associated energies:
Because cis- and trans-2-butene are isomers, the elements from which they are formed ar
the same and cancel in the comparison. This is shown by the diagram in Fig. 4.8. Were w
to compare the enthalpies of compounds that are not isomers, the two formation equation
would have different quantities of carbon and hydrogen, and the sum would contain left
over C and H2. This sum would not correspond to the direct comparison desired.
(4.11
(4.11b
(4.11
cis-2-butene
4C trans-2-butene1 4H24C 1 4H2
H8 (kJ/mol):Equations: H8 (kcal/mol):
211.6
17.4
22.72
11.77
cis-2-buteneSum: trans-2-butene 24.2 21.0
cis-2-butene trans-2-butene27.4021.77
H8f kJ/molkcal/mol
211.6 22.72
LT
Study Problem 4.6
4.5 RELATIVE STABILITIES OF ALKENE ISOMERS 12
4.2 kJ/mol(1.0 kcal/mol)
11.6 kJ/mol(2.72 kcal/mol)
enthalpy difference betweencis- and trans-2-butenes
4 H214 C
cis-2-butene
trans-2-butene
7.40 kJ/mol(1.77 kcal/mol)
A
A
AA
A
A
STAN
DARDE
NTHALPY,
H
FIGURE 4.8 Use of heats of formation to derive relative enthalpies of two isomeric compounds. Th
enthalpies of both compounds are measured relative to a common reference,the elements from which the
are formed.The difference between the enthalpies of formation is equal to the enthalpy difference betwee
the two isomers.
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Using heats of formation to calculate the standard enthalpy difference between two compounds
(Study Problem 4.6) is analogous to measuring the relative heights of two objects by comparing
their distances from a common reference, say, the ceiling. If a table top is 5 ft below the ceiling,
and an electrical outlet is 7 ft below the ceiling, then the table top is 2 ft above the outlet. Notice
the height of the ceiling can be taken arbitrarily as zero; its absolute height is irrelevant. When
heats of formation are compared, the enthalpy reference point is the enthalpy of the elements in
their standard states, their normal states at 25 C and 1 atm pressure; the enthalpies of forma-tion of the elements in their standard states are arbitrarily taken to be zero.
B. Relative Stabilities of Alkene Isomers
The heats of formation of alkenes can be used to determine how various structural features
of alkenes affect their stabilities. Well answer two questions using heats of formation.
First, which is more stable: a cis alkene or its trans isomer? Second, how does the amount
of branching at the double bond affect the stability of an alkene?
Study Problem 4.6 showed that trans-2-butene has a lower enthalpy of formation thancis-2-butene by 4.2 kJ/mol (1.0 kcal/mol) (see Eq. 4.11c). In fact, almost all trans alkenes
are more stable than their cis isomers. Why is this so? The methyl groups in cis-2-butene
are forced to occupy the same plane on the same side of the double bond. A space-filling
model of cis-2-butene (Fig. 4.9) shows that one hydrogen in each of the cis methyl groups
is within a van der Waals radius of the other. Hence, van der Waals repulsions occur be-
tween the methyl groups much like those in gauche-butane (Sec. 2.3B). In contrast, no
such repulsions occur in the trans isomer, in which the methyl groups are far apart. Not
only do the heats of formation suggest the presence of van der Waals repulsions in cis
alkenes, but they give us quantitative information on the magnitude of such repulsions.
How does branching at the double bond affect the relative energies of alkenes? First,
lets compare the heats of formation of the following two isomers. The first has a single
alkyl group directly attached to the double bond. The second has two alkyl groups attachedto the double bond, in other words, it has a single carbon branch at the double bond.
(4.12a)
(4.12b)
Hf
Hf
5-27.4 kJ/mol-6.55 kcal/molH2C CH(CH3)2LCHA
5-35.1 kJ/mol-8.39 kcal/molH2C CH2CH3LCACH3"
4.12 (a) Calculate the enthalpy change for the hypothetical reaction 1-buteneLT 2-methyl-propene. The heats of formation are 1-butene, -0.30 kJ/mol (-0.07 kcal/mol);2-methylpropene, 17.3 kJ/mol (-4.14 kcal/mol).
(b) Which butene isomer in part (a) is more stable?
4.13 (a) If the standard enthalpy change for the reaction 2-ethyl-1-butene LT 1-hexene is+15.3 kJ/mol (+3.66 kcal/mol), and if DHf for 1-hexene is -40.5 kJ/mol (-9.68kcal/mol), what is DH
ffor 2-ethyl-1-butene?
(b) Which isomer in part (a) is more stable?
4.14 The DHf of CO2 is -393.51 kJ/mol (-94.05 kcal/mol), and the DHf of H2O is-241.83 kJ/mol (-57.80 kcal/mol). Calculate the DHf of 1-heptene from its heat ofcombustion, -4385.1 kJ/mol (-1048.1 kcal/mol). (See Study Guide Link 4.4.)
PROBLEMS
130 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
Study Guide Link 4.4Source of Heats
of Formation
g
Study Guide Link 4.5Free Energy and Enthalpy
g
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Notice that both compounds have a single branch; they differ only in the position of th
branch. In this case, the isomer with the branch at a carbon of the double bond has thsmaller (more negative) heat of formation and is therefore more stable. The data i
Table 4.1 (p. 132) for other isomeric pairs of alkenes show that this trend continues for in
creasing numbers of alkyl groups directly attached to the double bond. These data show
that an alkene is stabilized by alkyl substituents on the double bond. When we compare th
stability of alkene isomers we find that the alkene with the greatest number of alkyl sub
stituents on the double bond is usually the most stable one.
Notice that, to a useful approximation, it is the numberof alkyl groups on the doubl
bond more than their identities that governs the stability of an alkene. In other words,
molecule with two smaller alkyl groups on the double bond is more stable than its isome
with one larger group on the double bond. The first two entries in Table 4.1 demonstrat
this point. The second entry, (E)-2-hexene, with a methyl and a propyl group on the doubl
bond, is more stable than the first entry, 1-hexene, which has a single butyl group on thdouble bond.
Why does branching at the double bond enhance the stability of alkenes? Essentially
when we compare an alkene that is branched at the double bond with one that is branche
elsewhere, we are really comparing the tradeoff of an sp2-sp3 carbon-carbon bond and a
sp3-1s carbon-hydrogen bond with an sp3-sp3 carbon-carbon bond and an sp2-1s carbon
hydrogen bond.
The major effect in this tradeoff is that an sp2-sp3 carbon-carbon bond is stronger than a
sp3-sp3 carbon-carbon bond. (The bonds to hydrogen have similar effects, but not so large
Increasing bond strength lowers the heat of formation.
We can go on to ask why an sp2-sp3 carbon-carbon bond is stronger than an sp3-sp3 carbon
carbon bond. You learned in Sec. 4.4 that carbons with sp2 hybridization are somewh
sp3-sp3carbon-carbon bon
sp2-1scarbon-hydrogen bond
CH3C
CH CH3C
H
H
M"CH3"
"LM#CH3C HC
H
CHCH3
CH3sp2-sp3carbon-carbon bond
sp3-1scarbon-hydrogen bond
more stable alkene
M"""
M#
4.5 RELATIVE STABILITIES OF ALKENE ISOMERS 13
(a) cis-2-butene (b) trans-2-butene
van der Waals repulsion
FIGURE 4.9 Space-filling models of (a) cis-2-butene and (b) trans-2-butene. In cis-2-butene, van der Waa
repulsions exist between hydrogen atoms of the two methyl groups (color). In trans-2-butene, these van d
Waals repulsions are not present.
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electronegative. You can also see evidence of this greater electronegativity in the relative
pKa values of 2-butenoic acid and butanoic acid:
The lower pKa of 2-butenoic acid reflects the electron-attracting polar effect of the sp2-
hybridized carbons (Sec. 3.6B). In contrast, alkyl groups (for example, a methyl group) are
somewhat electropositive, that is, they have a tendency to release electrons. The central atom
in an alkyl group by definition is an sp3-hybridized carbon atom. When an atom that attracts
electrons (an sp2 carbon) is combined with an atom that releases electrons (an sp3 carbon) the
electronic tendencies of both atoms are simultaneously satisfied and a stronger bond results.
2-butenoic acid
pKa=4.35OHLCH2 CLH2C CHA L
OS
butanoic acid
pKa=4.82H3C CH2L OHLCH2 CL L
OS
132 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
Effect of Branching on Alkene StabilityTABLE 4.1
Number of alkyl groups EnthalpyAlkene structure* on the double bond DH
fdifference
H2C ACHLCH2CH2CH2CH3 1 -40.5 kJ/mol
-9.68 kcal/mol
-10.6 kJ/mol
-2.5 kcal/mol
2 -51.1 kJ/mol
-12.2 kcal/mol 2 -55.8 kJ/mol
-13.3 kcal/mol
-5.70 kJ/mol
-1.4 kcal/mol
3 -61.5 kJ/mol
-14.7 kcal/mol
2 -60.1 kJ/mol
-14.4 kcal/mol
-2.6 kJ/mol
-0.6 kcal/mol
3 -62.7 kJ/mol
-15.0 kcal/mol
3 -88.4 kJ/mol
-21.1 kcal/mol
-2.1 kJ/mol
-0.5 kcal/mol
4 -90.5 kJ/mol
-21.6 kcal/mol
*Notice that in each comparison, the two compounds are equally branched; they differ only in whether the branch is at the double bond.
AC C$
$
H3C H
H CH2CH2CH3
)
)
AH2C C$
CH2CH3
CH2CH3)
AC C$
$
H3C
H CH2CH3
CH3
)
)
AC C$
$
H3C H
H CH(CH3)2
)
)
AC C$
$
CH3CH2
H CH3
CH3
)
)
AC C$
$
H3C CH3
H CH(CH3)2
)
)
AC C$
$
H3C
CH3CH2 CH3
CH3
)
)
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Heats of formation have given us considerable information about how alkene stabilitie
vary with structure. To summarize:
Increasing stability:
and (4.13b
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intermediate. This rearrangement involves a hydride shift, the migration of a hydrogen
with its two bonding electrons.
The First Description of Carbocation Rearrangements
The first clear formulation of the involvement of carbocations in molecular rearrangements
was proposed by Frank C. Whitmore (18871947) of Pennsylvania State University.(In fact,
such rearrangements used to be called Whitmore shifts.) Whitmore said that carbocation
rearrangements result when an atom in an electron-hungry condition seeks its missing
electron pair from the next atom in the molecule. Whitmores description emphasizes the
Lewis acid-base character of the reaction.
Carbocation rearrangements are not just a laboratory curiosity; they occur extensively
in nature,particularly in the natural pathways leading to certain cyclic compounds such as
steroids.
(4.28)H3C CL"
"
CHL CH2 HBr1A
CH3
H
H3C CHL"CH3
LCH CH3 1L
"Br
(about 45% of product) (about 55% of product)
H3C CL"
"
LCH2CH3
CH3
Br
142 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
PROBLEMS
4.21 Give a curved-arrow mechanism for the reaction in Eq. 4.28 that accounts for the forma-
tion of both products.
4.22 Only one of the following three alkyl halides can be prepared as the majorproduct of the
addition of HBr to an alkene. Which compound can be prepared in this way? Explain why
the other two cannotbe prepared in this way.
CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2Br H3C
CH3
CH3
C2H5CH CL L L"
Br"
"A B
C
CH3CHCH2CH2CH3
Br"
4.8 REACTION RATES
Whenever a reaction can give more than one possible product, two or more reactions are incompetition. (Youve already seen examples of competing reactions in hydrogen halide ad-
dition to alkenes.) One reaction predominates when it occurs more rapidly than other com-
peting reactions. Understanding why some reactions occur in preference to others, then, is
often a matter of understanding the rates of chemical reactions. The theoretical framework
for discussing reaction rates is the subject of this section. Although well use hydrogen
halide addition to alkenes as our example to develop the theory, the general concepts will
be used throughout this text.
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A. The Transition State
The rate of a chemical reaction can be defined for our purposes as the number of reactan
molecules converted into product in a given time. The theory of reaction rates used b
many organic chemists assumes that as the reactants change into products, they pas
through an unstable state of maximum free energy, called the transition state. The trans
tion state has a higher energy than either the reactants or products and therefore represenan energy barrier to their interconversion. This energy barrier is shown graphically in
reaction free-energy diagram (Fig. 4.11). This is a diagram of the standard free energy o
a reacting system as old bonds break and new ones form along the reaction pathway. In th
diagram the progress of reactants to products is called the reaction coordinate. That is, th
reactants define one end of the reaction coordinate, the products define the other, and th
transition state is somewhere in between. The energy barrier, DG called the standarfree energy of activation, is equal to the difference between the standard free energies o
the transition state and reactants. (The double dagger, , is the symbol used for transitio
states.) The size of the energy barrier DG determines the rate of a reaction: the higher thbarrier, the lower the rate. Thus, the reaction shown in Fig. 4.11a is slower than the one i
Fig. 4.11b because it has a larger energy barrier. In the same sense that relative free ener
gies of reactants and products determine the equilibrium constant, the relative free energieof transition state and reactants determine the reaction rate.
The relationship between barrier height and rate is an exponential one. If two reactions
andB have standard free energies of activationDGA andDG
B, respectively, then, under stan
dard conditions (all reactants 1Mcocentration), the relative rates of the two reactions ar
r
r
a
a
t
t
e
e
A
B
= 10(DGB_ DG
A )2.3RT (4.29
or
logrra
a
t
t
e
e
A
B
= (4.29bDG
B- DG
A
2.3RT
4.8 REACTION RATES 14
reactants
products
transition state
reaction coordinate
(a) slower reaction
reactants
products
transition state
ST
ANDARDF
REEENERGY
ST
ANDARDF
REEENERGY
reaction coordinate
(b) faster reaction
standard freeenergy ofactivation(energy barrier
standard freeenergy ofactivation(energy barrier)
G
G
FIGURE 4.11 Reaction free-energy diagrams for two hypothetical reactions.The standard free energy
activation (DG) is the energy barrier that must be overcome for the reaction to occur. The reaction in pa(a) is intrinsically slower because it has a largerDG than the one in part (b).
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These equations show that the rates of two reactions differ by a factor of 10 (that is, one log
unit) for every increment of 2.3RT(5.7 kJ/mol or 1.4 kcal/mol at 298 K) difference in their
standard free energies of activation. This means that reaction rates are very sensitive to their
standard free energies of activation.
Where do reactant molecules get the energy to cross the energy barrier and form prod-
ucts? In general, molecules obtain the energy required to react from their thermal motions.At a given temperature, a collection of molecules can be characterized by an average en-
ergy, just as a chemistry class might be characterized by an average student. However, such
a collection of molecules contains a distribution of energies, just as a chemistry class has a
distribution of abilities. The rate of a reaction is directly related to the number of molecules
that have enough energy to cross the energy barrier in a given amount of time. If the energy
barrier (DG) is low, then more molecules possess enough energy to cross the barrier, andthe rate of the reaction is greater. IfDG is high, then fewer molecules have sufficient en-ergy to cross the barrier, and the rate of the reaction is smaller.
For a given reaction under a given set of conditions, we cannot control the size of the
energy barrier; it is a natural property of the reaction. Some reactions are intrinsically slow,
and some are intrinsically fast. What we can sometimes control is the fraction of molecules
with enough energy to cross the energy barrier. That is, we can increase the energy of achemical system by raising the temperature. The rates of reactions increase when the tem-
perature is raised. Different reactions respond differently to temperature, but a convenient
although very rough rule of thumb is that a reaction rate doubles for every 10 C (or 10 K)increase in temperature.
Lets summarize. Two factors that govern the intrinsic reaction rate are
1. the size of the energy barrier, or standard free energy of activation DG: reactionswith larger DG are slower.
2. the temperature: reactions are faster at higher temperatures.
It is very important to understand that the equilibrium constant for a reaction tells us
absolutely nothing about its rate. Some reactions with very large equilibrium constants are
slow. For example, the equilibrium constant for combustion of alkanes is very large; yet
An Analogy for Energy Barriers
An analogy that can help in visualizing these concepts is shown in Fig. 4.12. Water in the
cup would flow into the pan below if it could somehow gain enough kinetic energy to sur-
mount the wall of the cup.The wall of the cup is a potential-energy barrier to the downhill
flow of water. Likewise, molecules have to achieve a transient state of high energythe
transition stateto break stable chemical bonds and undergo reaction. An analogy to
thermal motion is what happens if we shake the cup.If the cup is shallow (low energy bar-
rier), the likelihood is good that the shaking will cause water to slosh over the sides of the
cup and drop into the pan. This will occur at some characteristic ratesome number of
milliliters per second. If the cup is very deep (high barrier), water is less likely to flow from
cup to pan.Consequently,the rate at which water collects in the pan is smaller.Shaking the
cup more vigorously provides an analogy to the effect of increasing temperature. As the
sloshing becomes more violent, the water acquires more kinetic energy,and water accu-
mulates in the pan at a higher rate. Likewise, high temperature increases the rate of a
chemical reaction by increasing the energy of the reacting molecules.
144 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
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a container of gasoline (alkanes) can be handled in the open air because the reaction o
gasoline with oxygen, in the absence of heat, is immeasurably slow. On the other hand
some unfavorable reactions come to equilibrium almost instantaneously. For example, th
reaction of ammonia with water to give ammonium hydroxide has a very unfavorabl
equilibrium constant; but the small extent of reaction that does occur takes place ver
rapidly.
B. Multistep Reactions and the Rate-Limiting Step
Many chemical reactions take place with the formation of reactive intermediates. Such re
actions are termed multistep reactions. We use this terminology because when intermed
ates exist in a chemical reaction, then what we commonly express as one reaction, is reall
a sequence of two or more reactions. For example, youve already learned that addition o
hydrogen halides to alkenes involves a carbocation intermediate. This means, for example
4.23 (a) The standard free energy of activation of one reactionA is 90 kJ/mol (21.5 kcal/mol).The standard free energy of activation of another reaction B is 75 kJ/mol
(17.9 kcal/mol). Which reaction is faster and by what factor? Assume a temperature
of 298 K.
(b) Estimate how much you would have to increase the temperature of the slower reaction
so that it would have a rate equal to that of the faster reaction.
4.24 (a) The standard free energy of activation of a reactionA is 90 kJ/mol (21.5 kcal/mol) at
298 K. ReactionB is one million times faster than reactionA at the same temperature.
What is the standard free energy of activation of reactionB?
(b) Draw reaction free-energy diagrams for the two reactions showing the two values of
DG to scale.
PROBLEMS
4.8 REACTION RATES 14
barrier height
FIGURE 4.12 A difference of potential energy is not enough to cause the water in the cup to drop to th
bowl below.The water must first overcome the barrier imposed by the walls of the cup.
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that addition of HBr to 2-methylpropene
(CH3)2C ACH2+HBr LT (CH3)3CLBr (4.30)
is a multistep reaction involving the following two steps:
(CH3)
2C ACH
2+HBr
G (CH
3)
3C|
+Br_ (4.31a)
(CH3)3C|+ Br_ LT (CH3)3CLBr (4.31b)
Each step of a multistep reaction has its own characteristic rate and therefore its own tran-
sition state. The energy changes in such a reaction can also be depicted in a reaction free-
energy diagram. Such a diagram for the addition of HBr to 2-methylpropene is shown in
Fig. 4.13. Each free-energy maximum between reactants and products represents a transi-
tion state, and the minimum represents the carbocation intermediate.
Generally, the rate of a multistep reaction depends in detail on the rates of its various
steps. However, it often happens that one step of a multistep reaction is considerably slower
than any of the others. This slowest step in a multistep chemical reaction is called the rate-
limiting step or rate-determining step of the reaction. In such a case the rate of the over-
all reaction is equal to the rate of the rate-limiting step. In terms of the reaction free-energy
diagram in Fig. 4.13, the rate-limiting step is the step with the transition state of highest
free energy. This diagram indicates that in the addition of HBr to 2-methylpropene, the rate-
limiting step is the first step of the reactionthe protonation of the alkene to give the
carbocation. The overall rate of addition of HBr to 2-methylpropene is equal simply to the
rate of this first step.
The rate-limiting step of a reaction has a special importance. Anything that increases the
rate of this step increases the overall reaction rate. Conversely, if a change in the reaction
conditions (for example, a change in temperature) affects the rate of the reaction, it is the
effect on the rate-limiting step that is being observed. Because the rate-limiting step of a re-
action has special importance, its identification receives particular emphasis when we at-
tempt to understand the mechanism of a reaction.
146 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
(CH3)
2C ACH
2+HBr(CH3)3CLBr
rate-limiting step
reaction coordinate
(CH3)3C|
Br_
transition state ofhighest free energy
DG
STA
NDARDF
REEENERGY
FIGURE 4.13 Reaction free-energy diagram for a multistep reaction.The rate-limiting step of a multistep re-
action is the step with the transition state of highest standard free energy. In the addition of HBr to 2-methyl-
propene, the rate-limiting step is protonation of the double bond to give the carbocation intermediate.
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KEY IDEAS IN CHAPTER 4 15
Alkenes are compounds containing carbon-carbon
double bonds. Alkene carbon atoms, as well as other
trigonal planar atoms, are sp2-hybridized.
The carbon-carbon double bond consists of a bond
and a bond. The electrons are more reactive than
the electrons and can be donated to Brnsted or
Lewis acids.
In the IUPAC substitutive nomenclature of alkenes,
the principal chain,which is the carbon chain containing
the greatest number of double bonds, is numbered so
that the double bonds receive the lowest numbers.
Because rotation about the alkene double bond does
not occur under normal conditions, some alkenes can
exist as cis and trans isomers.These are named using theE,Zpriority system.
The unsaturation number of a compound, which is
equal to the number of rings plus multiple bonds in the
compound, can be calculated from the molecular for-
mula by Eq. 4.7.
Heats of formation (enthalpies of formation) can be used
to determine the relative stabilities of various bonding
arrangements. Heats of formation reveal that alkenes
with more alkyl branches at their double bonds are more
stable than isomers with fewer branches and that in most
cases trans alkenes are more stable than their cis isomers.
Reactants are converted into products through unstable
species called transition states. A reaction rate is deter-
mined by the standard free energy of activation DG,which is the standard free energy difference between
the transition state and the reactants. Reactions with
smaller standard free energies of activation are faster.
The rates of reactions increase with increasing
temperature.
The rates of multistep reactions are determined in
many cases by the rate of the slowest step, called the
rate-limiting step.This step is the one with the transitio
state of highest standard free energy.
Dipolar molecules such as HLBr and HLOH add talkenes in a regioselective manner so that the hydrogeadds to the less branched carbon, and the electroneg
tive group to the more branched carbon of the doub
bond. Addition of water requires acid catalysis becaus
water itself is too weak an acid to protonate the bon
Hammonds postulate provides a way of inferring the ap
proximate structures of transition states,given the stru
ture of an unstable intermediate. According to Ham
monds postulate, the structures and energies o
transition states for reactions involving unstable inte
mediates (such as carbocations) resemble the structure
and energies of the unstable intermediates themselve
The regioselectivity observed in the addition reaction
of hydrogen halides or water to alkenes is a conse
quence of two facts: (1) the rate-limiting transitio
states of the two competing reactions resemble carbo
cations; (2) the relative stability of cations is in the ord
tertiary > secondary > primary. Application of Hammonds postulate leads to the conclusion that the rea
tion involving the more stable carbocation is faster.
Reactions involving carbocation intermediates, such a
hydrogen halide addition and hydration, show r
arrangements in some cases.
A catalyst increases the rate of a reaction without bein
consumed in the reaction.A catalyst does not affect th
position of a chemical equilibrium. Catalysts accelera
the forward and reverse reactions of an equilibrium
equally.
Catalysts are of two types:heterogeneous and homog
neous. Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes involves he
erogeneous catalysis; acid-catalyzed hydration
alkenes involves homogeneous catalysis.
Enzymes are biological catalysts.
KEY IDEAS IN CHAPTER 4
For a summary of reactions discussed in this chapter, see Section R, Chapter 4, in the Stud
Guide and Solutions Manual.
Reaction Review
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156 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
4.35 Give the structures and IUPAC substitutive names
of the isomeric alkenes with molecular formula
C6H12 containing five carbons in their principal
chains.
4.36 Which alkenes in Problem 4.35 give
predominantly a single constitutional isomer when
treated with HBr, and which give a mixture of
isomers? Explain.
4.37 Arrange the alkenes in Problem 4.35 in order of
increasing heats of formation. (Some may be
classified as about the same.)
4.38 Give a structural formula for each of the followingcompounds.
(a) cyclobutene (b) 3-methyl-1-octene
(c) styrene (d) isoprene
(e) 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cycloheptadiene
(f) 1-vinylcyclohexene
4.39 Give an IUPAC substitutive name for each of the
following compounds. Include theE,Zdesigna-
tions where appropriate.
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e)
(f)
M ML
LL
HCH3
H
H
H
$ $$ $
H
H3C H
C AC
C ACH2$CH3CH2CH2CH2
o
C2H5$
CH(CH2)
3CHH
2C A
$)
CH3
CH3
4.40 A confused chemist Al Keane used the following
names in a paper about alkenes. Although each
name specifies a structure, in some cases the name
is incorrect. Correct the names that are wrong.
(a) 3-butene (b) trans-1-tert-butylpropene
(c) (Z)-2-hexene (d) 6-methylcycloheptene
4.41 Specify the configuration (EorZ) of each of the
following alkenes. Note that D is deuterium, or 2H,
the isotope of hydrogen with atomic mass = 2.(a) (b)
(c) (d)
4.42 Classify the compounds within each of the follow-
ing pairs as either identical molecules (I), constitu-
tional isomers (C), stereoisomers (S), or none of the
above (N).
(a) cyclohexane and 1-hexene
(b) cyclopentane and cyclopentene
(c)
(d)
(e)
4.43 Use the principles of Sec. 1.3B to predict the
geometry of BF3. What hybridization of boron is
suggested by this geometry? Draw an orbital
diagram for hybridized boron similar to that for the
carbons in ethylene shown in Fig. 4.3, and provide
a hybrid-orbital description of the bonding in BF3.
$ $$ $
H3C
H CH2CH2CH3
C AC
H $ $$ $
CH3CH2CH2
H H
C AC
CH3
and
CHCH2CH3H2C A and$ $$ $
H3C
H H
C AC
CH3
and
C2H5
" C2H5
"
CH3C A C$V
$$V$B$B
CH3
CH3
L ))H
$ $$ $
Cl
Br
C AC
I
Br
$ $$ $
D
H
C AC
CD3
CH3
ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS
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ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS 15
4.44 Classify each of the labeled bonds in the following
structure in terms of the bond type (or ) and the
component orbitals that overlap to form the bond.
(For example, the carbon-carbon bond in ethane is
an sp3-sp3 bond.)
4.45 (a) The following compound can be prepared by
the addition of HBr to either of two alkenes;
give their structures.
(b) Starting with the same two alkenes, would the
products be different if DBr were used?
Explain. (See note about deuterium in
Problem 4.41.)
4.46 An alkeneXwith molecular formula C7H12 adds
HBr to give a single alkyl halide Ywith molecular
formula C7H13Br and undergoes catalytic
hydrogenation to give 1,1-dimethylcyclopentane.
Draw the structures ofXand Y.
4.47 Give the structures of the two stereoisomeric
alkenes with the molecular formula C6H12that react with HI to give the same single product
and undergo catalytic hydrogenation to give
hexane.
4.48 You have been called in as a consultant for the
firm Alcohols Unlimited, which wants to build aplant to produce 3-methyl-1-butanol,
(CH3)2CHCH2CH2OH. The research director,
Al Keyhall, has proposed that acid-catalyzed
hydration of 3-methyl-1-butene be used to prepare
this compound. The company president, O. H.
Gruppa, has asked you to evaluate this suggestion.
CH3Br% %
LL LL LLCH H
HH
CH CH CH CH"" AA AA $
)(b) (c) (d)
(e)
(a)
Millions of dollars are on the line. What is your
answer? Can 3-methyl-1-butanol be prepared in
this way? Explain your answer.
4.49 A certain compoundA is converted into a
compoundB in a reaction without intermediates.
The reaction has an equilibrium constant
Keq = [B][A] = 150 and, with the free energy ofA as a reference point, a standard free energy of
activation of 96 kJ/mol (23 kcal/mol).
(a) Draw a reaction free-energy diagram for this
process, showing the relative free energies of
A,B, and the transition state for the reaction.
(b) What is the standard free energy of activation
for the reverse reactionB TA? How do youknow?
4.50 A reactionA QB Q CQD has the reac-tion free-energy diagram shown in Fig. P4.50.
(a) Which compound is present in greatest amount
when the reaction comes to equilibrium? In
least amount?
(b) What is the rate-limiting step of the reaction?
(c) Using a vertical arrow, label the standard free
energy of activation for the overallA TDreaction.
(d) Which reaction of compound Cis faster:
CTB or CTD? How do you know?
Study Guide Link 4.8Solving Structure Problems
g
reaction coordinate
A
B
C
DSTANDARDF
REEENERGY
FIGURE P4.50
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158 CHAPTER 4 INTRODUCTION TO ALKENES: STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
4.51 Invoking Hammonds postulate, draw the structure
of the reactive intermediate that should most
closely resemble the transition state of the rate-
limiting step for the hydration of 1-methylcyclo-
hexene. (The first step in the mechanism, protona-
tion of the double bond, is rate-limiting.)
4.52 The heat of formation of (E)-1,3-pentadiene is
75.8 kJ/mol (18.12 kcal/mol), and that of
1,4-pentadiene is 106.3 kJ/mol (25.41 kcal/mol).
(a) Which alkene has the more stable arrangement
of bonds?
(b) Calculate the heat liberated when one mole
of 1,3-pentadiene is burned. The heat of com-
bustion of carbon is -393.5 kJ/mol(-94.05 kcal/mol), and that of H2 is-
241.8 kJ/mol (
-57.80 kcal/mol).
4.53 When 3-methyl-1-butene is burned to CO2 and
H2O, 3149.3 kJ/mol (752.7 kcal/mol) of heat is
produced. How much heat is liberated when
2-methyl-1-butene is burned? Heats of formation
are: 3-methyl-1-butene, -27.40 kJ/mol(-6.55 kcal/mol); 2-methyl-1-butene,-35.1 kJ/mol (-8.39 kcal/mol). The heats ofcombustion of carbon and hydrogen are not
necessary to work this problem. (Hint: Write a
balanced equation for each combustion reaction.
Then draw a diagram of the energy relationships
among the two hydrocarbons, 5 C + 5 H2, and5 CO2 + 5 H2O.)
4.54 Make a model of cycloheptene with the trans
(orE) configuration at the double bond. Now
make a model of cis-cycloheptene. By
examining your models, determine which
compound should have the greater heat of
formation. Explain.
4.55 Which of the following two reactions should have
the greatest DH change? Why? (Hint: Examine amodel of the two cis alkenes.)
(1)
(2)
4.56 Consider the following compounds and their
dipole moments:
Assume that the CLCl bond dipole is oriented asfollows in each of these compounds.
(a) According to the preceding dipole moments,
which is more electron-donating toward a
double bond, methyl or hydrogen? Explain.
(b) Which of the following compounds should
have the greater dipole moment? Explain.
4.57 Supply the curved-arrow notation for the acid-
catalyzed isomerization shown in Fig. P4.57.
Cl$$$$
CH3H
C AC
H Cl CH3$$$$
HH
C AC
$$CLClL
2.4 D
Cl Cl
$ $$$
CH3H3C
C AC
1.9 D
Cl Cl
$ $$$
HH
C AC
CH3H3C$$$$
HH
C AC
CH3
H3C$$$$H
H
C AC
C(CH3)
3(CH
3)
3C
$ $$$
HH
C AC
C(CH3)3
(CH3)
3C
$ $$$H
H
C AC
OSO3H_ 223
H2C CH3
H3C
CLCLHA "CH3
"
HLOSO3H22)
H3C CH3
$
H3C
CLCLH"CH3
"$|) + OSO3H22HL
H3C CH3
CH3
$$$$
H3C
C AC) )
FIGURE P4.57
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