Chemistry 112

Spring 2001-Activity 13.5

Many organic bromides ae hydrolyzed by hydroxide ion in ethanol to form alcohols. But how does this happen? Does the hydroxide ion attack the molecule in one step:

OH- + R-X ---> HO-R + X-

Or does the molecule ionize first adn then bond to the hydroxide in a two step process?

R-X ---> R+ + X-

R+ + OH- ---> R-OH

a. Using the initial rates method and the data in the table below, find the rate law for the hydrolysis of n-butyl bromide and t-butyl bromide.

[RX], M

[OH-], M

Initial Rate, M/s

n-butyl bromide run #1

0.001

0.01

3.0x10-3

n-butyl bromide run #2

0.002

0.01

6.0c10-3

n-butyl bromide run #3

0.001

0.03

9.0x10-3

t-butyl bromide run #1

0.001

0.01

1.2x10-2

t-butyl bromide run #2

0.002

0.01

2.4x10-2

t-butyl bromide run #3

0.001

0.03

1.2x10-2

b. For each reaction suggest which of the above mechanisms ius consistant with the experimental rate law.

 

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