#carbocations

[teachersource]

George Andrew Olah was born on May 22, 1927. A Hungarian-American chemist, his research involved the generation and reactivity of carbocations via superacids. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1994 “for his contribution to carbocation chemistry.” In particular, his search for stable nonclassical carbocations led to the discovery of protonated methane stabilized by superacids. Because these cations were able to be stabilized, scientists could now use infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study them in greater depth, as well as use them as catalysts in organic synthesis reactions.

[eristavi]

The Strongest Acids in the World

The Strongest Acids in the World

(more…)

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[kcthechemist]

Things Organic Students Hate

There are certain things that Organic Chemistry I students, starry-eyed and naive that they are, strongly dislike about organic chemistry. Sometimes it’s simply the way things are named. Other times it’s things that, according to our Gen Chem books, shouldn’t exist. No matter what they are, it takes us quite a long time to get over cringing every time we see them. What are these horrible things?…

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[attemptingtopassaschemistry]

Good old carbocations

Another issue I have is when it asks you which products alkenes produce in electrophilic addition. When the double bond is not in the middle of the chain, more than one haloalkane can be produced. 

Why is this? :o

It's to do with the CARBOCATION (positively charged carbon atom)

You have to know that alkyl groups have a "tendency to release electrons" which has a special name

THE POSITIVE INDUCTIVE EFFECT. This electron releasing behaviour  stabilises the carbocation, and evens them out so they're balanced...how nice of them... :')

The main product comes from the more stable carbocation!!

So a tertiary carbocation is the most stable because it has the most alkyl groups. (The way I remember this is, that when you're tertiary, you've left school, you're more stable in the way you've stopped growing)

[theorgounderground]

Essential tip

Check thy carbocation before thou wreck thy carbocation

*Remember most stable to least stable (weaklings): Benzylic > Allylic > 3° > 2° > 1° carbocations

[puh-fifer-blog]

I WISH I WERE BORN BEFORE CARBOCATIONS WERE DISCOVERED.

..then maybe two full cups of coffee would actually be sufficient for me to stay awake in class.