Chapter 2, Problem 43P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation: Three discrete steps for acid-catalyzed hydration of alkene substrate to products for below reaction should be drawn with curved arrows.

  

Concept introduction: The fundamental electrostatics suggests that electrons have more affinity for electron deficient sites in an organic compound. or positive charge. The curved arrow is appropriate mechanism to depict electron movement that occurs from electron rich species to electron deficient species.

Acid-catalyzed hydration is the electrophilic addition of water. The reactive species that act as a catalyst is ${\text{H}}_{\text{3}}{\text{O}}^{\text{+}}$ . In the second stage water, itself acts as a nucleophile and abstracts a proton to hydration product. The carbocation rearrangement via hydride or alkyl shift can also be found in such reactions.