The aldol, Wittig, and Michael addition are three important addition reactions in organic chemistry that involve the formation of carbon-carbon bonds betwee...
The aldol, Wittig, and Michael addition are three important addition reactions in organic chemistry that involve the formation of carbon-carbon bonds between two molecules.
Aldol addition:
In the aldol addition reaction, an alkene and an alkene react in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. The catalyst facilitates the formation of an enol intermediate, which is a molecule that has a carbon atom bonded to both an atom of carbon and an atom of hydrogen. The enol intermediate then rearranges to form the more stable keto form.
Wittig addition:
The Wittig addition reaction is similar to the aldol addition, but it involves the reaction of an alkene with an aryl halide in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. The catalyst facilitates the formation of an alkene intermediate, which then rearranges to form the more stable alkene product.
Michael addition:
The Michael addition reaction is a more general addition reaction that involves the reaction of an alkene with an enolate ion in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. The catalyst facilitates the formation of a new bond between the carbon atom of the alkene and the oxygen atom of the enolate ion. This reaction is used to form a variety of organic compounds, including aldehydes, ketones, and esters