Identify the chiral center in the product from this experiment. ...

[MGLQZ]

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]

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

[MGLQZ]

Thank you!

[kristenb95]

Always glad to help...