Alkene hydrohalogenation (Markovnikov)
Abstract
Hydrohalogenation is a reaction in which a hydrogen halide (HX, where X = I, Br, or Cl) adds across the double bond of an alkene, yielding an alkyl halide.
Keywords
Alkene, Alkyl halide, Markovnikov
Category
Alkene
Mechanism
The mechanism proceeds in two steps. First, the double bond is protonated, leading to the formation of the most stable, most substituted carbocation (Markovnikov’s rule) and releasing a halide ion (in our example, a bromide ion). Then, the bromide ion attacks the carbocation from either face, giving a racemic mixture of the corresponding alkyl bromide.
