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Question 62 of 80

Q.Identify to which type does the following complex reactions belongs to :

(i) dehydration of 2-methyl-2-butanol
(ii) isomerisation of cyclopropane
(iii) saponification of a diester in presence of an alkali
Puducherry TnboardTamil Nadu HSC (DGE) Board 2018Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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Complex reactions are classified as opposing, side (parallel) or consecutive reactions based on how their elementary steps are related; each of the three examples given illustrates one distinct type.

  1. Dehydration of 2-methyl-2-butanol — Side (parallel) reaction Acid/alumina-catalysed E1 dehydration of 2-methyl-2-butanol can lose a proton from either of two different β-carbons, so two alkenes are formed simultaneously from the same carbocation intermediate: CH3CH2C(CH3)2OH→−H2O[(CH3)2C+−CH2CH3]→2-methyl-2-butene (major)+3-methyl-1-butene (minor)CH_3CH_2C(CH_3)_2OH \xrightarrow{-H_2O} \big[(CH_3)_2\overset{+}{C}-CH_2CH_3\big] \rightarrow \text{2-methyl-2-butene (major)} + \text{3-methyl-1-butene (minor)} When a single reactant gives two (or more) different products by parallel paths with different rate constants (k1k_1, k2k_2, …), it is called a side reaction / parallel reaction.
  2. Isomerisation of cyclopropane — Opposing (reversible) reaction Cyclopropane⇌k1k−1Propene\text{Cyclopropane} \underset{k_{-1}}{\overset{k_1}{\rightleftharpoons}} \text{Propene} The forward isomerisation (ring opening to propene) and the reverse reaction both occur, and the system approaches an equilibrium concentration ratio rather than going to 100% completion — the hallmark of an opposing (reversible) first-order reaction, treated kinetically with both k1k_1 and k−1k_{-1}.
  3. Saponification of a diester — Consecutive (sequential) reaction …

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