| Step | Reaction Type | Reagents & Conditions | Intermediate | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | Electrophilic Addition | (no peroxides – follows Markovnikov) | 2-bromopropane | | 2 | Nucleophilic Substitution | KCN (in ethanol/water, reflux) | Propanenitrile | | 3 | Hydrolysis | Dilute H₂SO₄ (or HCl) under reflux | Propanoic acid |
Nitro group → amino group
4-methylbenzoic acid → 4-nitrobenzoic acid
: Determine if functional groups have moved. For example, moving a or −Brnegative cap B r often involves an Elimination → Addition sequence.
Chemsheets problems often involve multi-step syntheses. You aren't just converting an alkene to an alcohol; you might be converting an alkene to a polymer precursor in four steps, requiring purification and isomer consideration.
As they dug deeper, they discovered a cryptic message on the department's online forum: "Look for the answers in the reactions." The students were stumped. What did it mean?
Better: Known answer: