Carbonyls as Electrophiles in Organic Chemistry
Reading & References
- Structure and Properties of Carboxylic Acids
- Reactions of Carboxylic Acids
- Condensation of Acids with Alcohols
- Acid Halide Synthesis
- Nucleophilic Addition of Amines to form Imines
- Nucleophilic Addition of Alcohols to form Acetals
- Acetals as Protecting Groups
Learning Goals
- Alcohol and amines as nucleophiles, Mechanism and Le Chatelier’s Principle
- Imine Formation
- Acetal Formation
- Esterification of Carboxylic Acids
- The “Carbonyl Waterfall”
- General Trends in Reactivity. Weak bases make poor leaving groups
- Addition-Elimination Mechanism
- The need for a proton-sponge (pyridine, triethylamine) in the reaction