What would be the major product if 1,4-dibromo-4-methylpentane was allowed to react with: a. one equivalent of nai in acetone? the major product would be 1-iodo-4-bromo-methylpentane b. one equivalent of silver nitrate in ethanol?

Answer : The correct answer for a) 4-bromo-2-iodo-4-methyl pentane and b)5-bromo-2-ethoxy-2-methyl pentane.

A) Reaction with NaI :

Reaction of alkyl halide with NaI is known as Finkelstein Reaction . The acetone is used as solvent . It involves bimolecular nucleophillic substitution rmechanism (SN²) . There is replecement of one halogen with other occurs .

The incoming Nucleophile(Nu⁻) (halide) attacks on carbon from back side , while the leaving group (halide) leaves the compound from front side , simultaneously. The product so formed have is inverted .(Image)

NaI releases I⁻ ion which act as nucelophile and attacks on C1 carbon and Br⁻ from C1 carbon is released . Out of two bromines at C1 and C4 carbons , C1 is primary carbon which is less sterically hindered while C-4 is tertiary carbon and sterically hindered . So it is easy for incoming Nu⁻ to attack on C1 carbon .So Br⁻ is repleaced by I⁻.

1,4-dibromo-4-methylpentane + NaI → 4-bromo-1-iodo-4-methylpentane

The product formed from reaction between 1,4-dibromo-4-methylpentane and NaI is 4-bromo-1-iodo-4-methylpentane . (Image)

B) Reaction with AgNO3 :

Reaction of alkyl halide with AgNO3 in ethanol takes place via SN¹ ( unimolecular nucleophilic substitution ) mechanism . In this leaving group(halide) leaves from alkyl halide forming an intermediate carbocation species . The incoming Nu⁻ attack on this carbocation.

AgNO3 reacts releases Ag⁺ion which abstract Br⁻ of C-4 carbon from 1,4-dibromo-4-methylpentane. THis forms tertiary carbocation which is more stable than carbocation formed by removal of Br from C-1 . The ethanol being more Nucleophilic than NO₃⁻ (from AgNO₃), attacks on this carbocation .(Image )

The product formed as a result is 5-bromo-2-ethoxy-2-methyl pentane.

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