Question

2-bromooctane reacts with alcoholic NaOH to give 2-octanol as shown below.

(a) Identify the type of substitution reaction mechanism.

(b) What effect will it have on the rate of the reaction if: 

(i) the concentration of NaOH is reduced by half? 

(ii) the concentration of 2-bromooctane is reduced by half?

Answer 1

(a) SN₂ mechanism 

The configuration of the product is opposite to that of the reactant.

(b) (i) The rate of reaction will be reduced by half. 

(ii) The rate of reaction will be reduced by half.