March 19, 2024, 06:41:17 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Partial neg charge on C  (Read 3742 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

ygao85

  • Guest
Partial neg charge on C
« on: June 21, 2005, 11:53:22 PM »
Why does an alkyl lithium (RLi) have a partial negative carbon?

Offline DrCMS

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1296
  • Mole Snacks: +210/-81
  • Gender: Male
Re:Partial neg charge on C
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2005, 04:15:38 AM »
It's due to the very electropositive metal next to it.

Offline lemonoman

  • Atmospheric
  • Chemist
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 607
  • Mole Snacks: +71/-8
  • Gender: Male
Re:Partial neg charge on C
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2005, 07:56:12 PM »
Yup.  Lithium is SO desperate for electrons, enough so that the orbitting electrons prefer to be on that side of the bond.  Traditionally, carbon (esp. sp3 hybridized) shares its electrons rather equally with its neighbours.  But not in this case.

If you're familiar with Grignard Reagents:


Magnesium here is the opposite.

Sponsored Links