• Nucleophilic substitution reactions can occur in two different ways (known as?SN2?and?SN1?reactions) depending on the structure of the halogenoalkane involved
  • Tertiary?halogenoalkanes favour SN2?reactions
  • Primary?halogenoalkanes favour?SN1?reactions

SN1 reactions

• In?tertiary?halogenoalkanes, the carbon that is attached to the halogen is also bonded to three alkyl groups
• These halogenoalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution by an?SN1?mechanism
  • ‘S’ stands for ‘substitution’
  • ‘N’ stands for ‘nucleophilic’
  • ‘1’ means that the rate of the reaction (which is determined by the slowest step of the reaction) depends on the concentration of only one reagent, the halogenoalkane

   

• The SN1 mechanism is a?two-step?reaction
• In the first step, the C-X bond breaks heterolytically and the halogen leaves the halogenoalkane as an X-?ion?(this is the?slow?and?rate-determining step)
  • This forms a tertiary carbocation?(which is a tertiary carbon atom with a positive charge)
  • In the second step, the tertiary carbocation is attacked by the nucleophile

   

• For example, the nucleophilic substitution of 2-bromo-2-methylpropane by hydroxide ions to form 2-methyl-2-propanol

The mechanism of nucleophilic substitution in 2-bromo-2-methylpropane which is a tertiary halogenoalkane

SN2 reactions

• In?primary?halogenoalkanes,?the carbon that is attached to the halogen is bonded to one alkyl group
• These halogenoalkanes undergo nucleophilic substitution by an?SN2?mechanism
  • ‘S’ stands for ‘substitution’
  • ‘N’ stands for ‘nucleophilic’
  • ‘2’ means that the rate of the reaction (which is determined by the slowest step of the reaction) depends on the concentration of both the halogenoalkane and the nucleophile ions

   

• The SN2 mechanism is a?one-step?reaction
  • The nucleophile donates a pair of electrons to the δ+ carbon atom of the halogenoalkane to form a new bond 

    At the same time, the C-X bond is breaking and the halogen (X) takes both electrons in the bond

  • The halogen leaves the halogenoalkane as an X-?ion

   

• For example, the nucleophilic substitution of bromoethane by hydroxide ions to form ethanol

The?SN2?mechanism of bromoethane with hydroxide causing an inversion of configuration

Bond Enthalpy

• The halogenoalkanes have different?rates?of?substitution?reactions
• Since substitution reactions involve?breaking?the?carbon-halogen?bond the?bond?energies?can be used to explain their different reactivities

Halogenoalkane Bond Energy

• The table above shows that the C-I bond requires the least energy to break, and is therefore the?weakest?carbon-halogen bond
• During substitution reactions, the C-I bond will, therefore,?heterolytically?break as follows:

R3C-I + OH-? ? ?→? ? R3C-OH + I-

halogenoalkane? ? ? ? ? alcohol

• The C-F bond, on the other hand, requires the most energy to break and is, therefore, the?strongest?carbon-halogen bond
• Fluoroalkanes will, therefore, be less likely to undergo substitution reactions