Author Question: Identify the chiral center in the product from this experiment. Is the product optically active? ... (Read 93 times)

MGLQZ

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 579
Identify the chiral center in the product from this experiment. Is the product optically active? Explain your answer.

Question 2

Examine the mechanism and the intermediates in the reaction to explain why the thiamine-catalyzed synthesis of benzoin is sensitive to electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents in the four position (the para position) of the benzene ring of the aldehyde. For each of the steps in the mechanism, indicate whether electrondonating or electron-withdrawing substituents stabilize the intermediate.



kristenb95

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 318
Answer to Question 1



The stereocenter has been labeled with an asterisk. None of the starting materials or the catalyst are chiral, so the product will not be optically active. There is no means of generating optical activity when there is none to begin with.

Answer to Question 2




Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question


 

Did you know?

GI conditions that will keep you out of the U.S. armed services include ulcers, varices, fistulas, esophagitis, gastritis, congenital abnormalities, inflammatory bowel disease, enteritis, colitis, proctitis, duodenal diverticula, malabsorption syndromes, hepatitis, cirrhosis, cysts, abscesses, pancreatitis, polyps, certain hemorrhoids, splenomegaly, hernias, recent abdominal surgery, GI bypass or stomach stapling, and artificial GI openings.

Did you know?

The liver is the only organ that has the ability to regenerate itself after certain types of damage. As much as 25% of the liver can be removed, and it will still regenerate back to its original shape and size. However, the liver cannot regenerate after severe damage caused by alcohol.

Did you know?

Though newer “smart” infusion pumps are increasingly becoming more sophisticated, they cannot prevent all programming and administration errors. Health care professionals that use smart infusion pumps must still practice the rights of medication administration and have other professionals double-check all high-risk infusions.

Did you know?

Since 1988, the CDC has reported a 99% reduction in bacterial meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae, due to the introduction of the vaccine against it.

Did you know?

About 60% of newborn infants in the United States are jaundiced; that is, they look yellow. Kernicterus is a form of brain damage caused by excessive jaundice. When babies begin to be affected by excessive jaundice and begin to have brain damage, they become excessively lethargic.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library