Reactive Intermediates: Carbocations, Carbanions, Free Radicals Definition: A reactive intermediate is a species that forms during a chemical reaction a...
Reactive Intermediates: Carbocations, Carbanions, Free Radicals
Definition: A reactive intermediate is a species that forms during a chemical reaction and undergoes a transformation into another species. Reactive intermediates can be carbocations, carbanions, or free radicals.
Carbocations: A carbocation is a positively charged species with a vacant orbital. Carbocations are typically formed when a nucleophile attacks an electrophile. For example, in the reaction of an alkyl halide with hydroxide ion, the hydroxide ion attacks the electrophile (the alkyl halide) and forms a carbocation intermediate.
Carbanions: A carbanion is a negatively charged species with a vacant orbital. Carbanions are typically formed when a nucleophile attacks an electrophile. For example, in the reaction of an alkene with hydrogen cyanide, the hydrogen cyanide attacks the electrophile (the alkene) and forms a carbanion intermediate.
Free Radicals: A free radical is an unpaired electron. Free radicals are typically formed when an atom or molecule has an excess of electrons. For example, in the reaction of ozone with hydrogen peroxide, the ozone molecule picks up an electron from the hydrogen peroxide molecule and becomes a free radical.
These are just a few of the many reactive intermediates that can form during a chemical reaction. Reactive intermediates can play an important role in determining the products of a reaction