Classifying Organic Reactions
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Substitution and addition
Organic reactions fall into three named types, and the first two differ by what joins and what leaves. This lesson contrasts a swap of one group for another with molecules combining into a single larger product.
What you know already
From Naming Organic Compounds you already know how stems and suffixes label every molecule in this topic. This note sorts the reactions those molecules undergo into three named types, each with an equation you can already balance, and sets the sorting habit the rest of the topic uses.
Key points of understanding
- Substitution happens when one functional group or atom in a molecule is replaced by another.
- Methane reacting with bromine in ultraviolet light substitutes one hydrogen for bromine, giving bromomethane and HBr.
- Addition happens when two or more molecules combine into one larger molecule with no other products.
- Bromine adds across the C=C double bond of ethene to give dibromoethane, C2H4Br2.
- No mechanisms are needed at this level, only the classification of each reaction by type.
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1.Substitution and addition
Organic reactions fall into three named types, and the first two differ by what joins and what leaves. This lesson contrasts a swap of one group for another with molecules combining into a single larger product.
Key points
- Substitution happens when one functional group or atom in a molecule is replaced by another.
- Methane reacting with bromine in ultraviolet light substitutes one hydrogen for bromine, giving bromomethane and HBr.
- Addition happens when two or more molecules combine into one larger molecule with no other products.
- Bromine adds across the C=C double bond of ethene to give dibromoethane, C2H4Br2.
- No mechanisms are needed at this level, only the classification of each reaction by type.
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