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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Alinho on April 24, 2012, 07:57:06 AM

Title: Reaction mechanism
Post by: Alinho on April 24, 2012, 07:57:06 AM
Is there somebody, who can help me with this reaction mechanism? It is two reaction that occur, and those products are used to make up the ketal.

Title: Re: Reaction mechanism
Post by: Dan on April 24, 2012, 08:33:43 AM
Help you in what way? What is your question?
Title: Re: Reaction mechanism
Post by: Alinho on April 24, 2012, 11:02:57 AM
I would like to know the different step of the specific reaction mechanism.
Title: Re: Reaction mechanism
Post by: Dan on April 24, 2012, 11:22:07 AM
As far as I can see, all the information is provided in the mechanism you posted. I don't really see how more detail can be added. Perhaps it would be best to review curly arrow notation in your textbook?

Is there a specific step you don't understand or are you struggling with the whole thing?
Title: Re: Reaction mechanism
Post by: Alinho on April 24, 2012, 11:40:52 AM
I am struggling with the whole reaction. I see that I have two reaction, giving mé two products, which react with each other forening a ketal.

I am struggling understand what happens at the different steps. What happens at each step an so on.
Title: Re: Reaction mechanism
Post by: Dan on April 24, 2012, 01:11:15 PM
Ok, that is a very broad question. The concepts behind curly/curved arrow mechanisms take at least a chapter of a book to explain properly - I don't think the issue you have can be satisfactorily addressed on an Internet forum.

I suggest you look at some organic chemistry textbooks and come back with more specific questions.

I would recommend Reaction "Mechanisms At a Glance: A Stepwise Approach to Problem-Solving in Organic Chemistry - Mark Moloney", but any general organic text will probably be fine to get you started.
Title: Re: Reaction mechanism
Post by: orgopete on April 24, 2012, 09:15:31 PM
This reaction has a simple theme repeated over and over. It has Le Chatelier's Principle. It uses a reagent to absorb the water formed from the carbonyl group.

Why does the carbonyl become protonated?

Why does alcohol attack the carbon of the protonated carbonyl group?