Chapter 9, Problem 9.3P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

It is to be determined which of the two nucleophiles given, ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{O}$ and ${\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{S}$, will react faster with ${\text{CH}}_{\text{3}}\text{I}$ in an ${\text{S}}_{\text{N}}\text{2}$ reaction. The relative nucleophilicities of the two nucleophiles are to be compared on the basis of this result.

Concept introduction:

The minimum amount of energy required by reacting molecules to reach the transition state is called the activation energy.

For nucleophilic substitution reactions, if the reactant is the same, the activation energy increases with increasing stability of the substitution product.

The rate of a reaction increases with the strength of the nucleophile when the substrate is the same.