4. Nature of Substrate
SN1(stability)
• As there is formation of Carbocation in the SN1 mechanism; more stable
the Carbocation more reasonable the SN1 reaction rate
• tertiary > secondary >> (primary—unreactive)
• Only tertiary halides react by an SN1 mechanism(moststable).
SN2(steric hinderance)
• Simple alkyl halides show the following general order of reactivityin SN2
reactions:
Methyl > primary > secondary >> (tertiary—unreactive)
• The important factor behind this order of reactivity is a steric effect,
and in this case, steric hindrance.
5. • Very large and bulky groups can often hinder the formation of the required transitionstate. In some cases
they can prevent its formation altogether.
• Tertiary carbocations are stabilized because sigma bonds at three adjacent carbons contribute
electron density to the carbocation p orbital by hyperconjugation. Secondary and primary
carbocations have less stabilization by hyperconjugation. A methyl carbocation has no
stabilization.
6. Nature Of Entering Group a.k.a. Nucleophile
• Nucleophile: Donate a lone pair of electron
• Basicity: nucleophile attackshydrogen
• Nucleophilicity: nucleophile attacksany atom other than hydrogen
• Nucleophilicity is measured by relative rates of reaction,by how rapidly an
electron pair donor reacts at an atom (usually carbon) bearing a leaving
group.
• Nucleophile does not participate in the rate-determining step of an SN1
reaction, the rates of SN1 reactions are unaffected by either the
concentration or the identity of the nucleophile
• The rates of SN2 reactions, however, depend on both the
concentration and the identity of the attackingnucleophile.
7. FACTORS
• Nucleophile should be small in size.
• Nucleophile should less electronegative.
• Nucleophile should be strong Base.
• A good nucleophile is one that reacts rapidly in an SN2 reaction with a
given substrate [STRONGER BASES]. A poor nucleophile is one that
reacts slowly in an SN2 reaction with the same substrate under
comparable reaction conditions [WEAK BASES].
8. • Methanol, on the other hand, is a poor nucleophile for reaction with
iodomethane. Under comparable conditions it reacts very slowly. It is
not a sufficiently powerful Lewis base (i.e., nucleophile) to cause
displacement of the iodide leaving group at a significant rate:
• Methoxide anion, for example, is a good nucleophile for a
substitution reaction with iodomethane. It reacts rapidly by an SN2
mechanism to form dimethyl ether:
11. Two properties affecting rate of reaction:
• Ionization Power
Dielectrict constant SN1 Highly Polar
Polarity SN2 Less Polar
Ionization Power
• Solvation Power
12. Nature of Leaving Group
• Weaker the base stronger the leaving group
• In either an SN1 or SN2 reaction the leaving group begins to acquire a
negative charge as the transition state is reached.
• If it were a strong base it will put +ve charge on C atom, which is
undesired.
• This lowers the free energy of activation and thereby increases the
rate of the reaction.
• Weaker the bond b/w C and the leaving group, more easy will it be to
carry out SN1 and SN2 reaction
13. • The hydroxideion, for example, is a strong base and thus
reactionslike the following do not take place:
• However, when an alcoholis dissolved in a strong acid, it
can undergo substitutionby a nucleophile.Because the acid
protonatesthe -OH group of the alcohol,the leavinggroup
no longer needs to be a hydroxideion;it is now a molecule
of water—a much weaker base than a hydroxideion and a
good leavinggroup:
14. • Among the halogens, an iodide ion is the best leaving group and a
fluoride ion is the poorest:
• The trifluoromethanesulfonate ion (CF3SO3
-, commonly called the triflate
ion) is one of the best leaving groups known to chemists.