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)