Diels-Alder: An Analysis Of Organic Chemistry
When it comes to organic chemistry and the synthesis of specific products there is an abundant amount of routes that can be taken and still get you the same result. For the following experiment, the main focus is the use of a cycloaddition reaction, also known as Diels-Alder. According to the lab manual, this reaction consists of the addition of a diene and a dienophile and that the Diels-Alder reaction builds stereospecific ring compounds with ease (Weldegirma 80). The reaction takes place between the two pi electrons from the dienophile and the 4 pi electrons from the diene; what happens is the bonds react together in order to form new single bonds because they are more stable, in terms of energetics (Diels-Alder Reaction). In order for the
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The purpose of this also relates to energy, such that it lowers it and makes it more stable. When the reaction takes place, like many other reactions, there is both a major product and a minor product. In the case of the Diels-Alder reaction one product is referred to as endo and the other as exo, both of which refer to the stereochemistry of the product. The reaction favors the product that has the most orbital overlap (Weldegirma 81). This is determined by looking at the outside groups. For example, “the endo product is the one where the outside groups on the diene are on the same side of the 6-membered ring as the electron withdrawing group,” and the exo product is “the one where the outside groups are on the opposite side of the ring as the 6-membered ring” (James). Overall, when it comes to the synthesis of a stereospecific 6-membered ring one of the more favored ways is the Diels-Alder reaction.
To begin, the first step of the experiment was to crack down dicyclopentadiene into the form of cyclopentadiene, which was done using the process of fractional distillation. Five milliliters of dicyclopentadiene was utilized in the distillation at the temperature of 40˚C for approximately 20 minutes. Next 0.20g of maleic anhydride was dissolve in 2mL of ethyl acetate. Then it was
The purpose of this also relates to energy, such that it lowers it and makes it more stable. When the reaction takes place, like many other reactions, there is both a major product and a minor product. In the case of the Diels-Alder reaction one product is referred to as endo and the other as exo, both of which refer to the stereochemistry of the product. The reaction favors the product that has the most orbital overlap (Weldegirma 81). This is determined by looking at the outside groups. For example, “the endo product is the one where the outside groups on the diene are on the same side of the 6-membered ring as the electron withdrawing group,” and the exo product is “the one where the outside groups are on the opposite side of the ring as the 6-membered ring” (James). Overall, when it comes to the synthesis of a stereospecific 6-membered ring one of the more favored ways is the Diels-Alder reaction.
To begin, the first step of the experiment was to crack down dicyclopentadiene into the form of cyclopentadiene, which was done using the process of fractional distillation. Five milliliters of dicyclopentadiene was utilized in the distillation at the temperature of 40˚C for approximately 20 minutes. Next 0.20g of maleic anhydride was dissolve in 2mL of ethyl acetate. Then it was