Q.Addition of HBr to 3-methyl-1-pentyne follows:
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Simple (non-peroxide) HBr addition to an unsymmetrical alkyne follows Markovnikov's rule: H goes to the carbon with more hydrogens, Br to the more substituted carbon, via the more stable carbocation intermediate.
Markovnikov's rule
When a protic acid HX (such as HBr) adds across an unsymmetrical carbon-carbon multiple bond (double or triple bond), the hydrogen atom of HX attaches to the carbon of the multiple bond that already carries the greater number of hydrogen atoms, while the halogen (X) attaches to the carbon bearing fewer hydrogens (the more substituted carbon). Mechanistically, this happens because the reaction proceeds through the more stable carbocation intermediate - protonation occurs in the way that generates the more substituted (more stable) carbocation, which is then attacked by the bromide ion.
3-methyl-1-pentyne: HC triple-bond C-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH3. The terminal alkyne carbon bears no alkyl substituents, while the internal alkyne carbon is attached to the rest of the chain (more substituted). Following Markovnikov's rule, H adds to the terminal carbon and Br adds to the internal (more substituted) carbon, via the more stable carbocation.
Why not anti-Markovnikov?
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