Question

Dehydration of 2-methyl-2-pentanol forms one major and one minor organic product. Draw the structures of the two organic products of this reaction.

Answer 1

The major product is 2-methyl-2-pentene [ CH₃-CH₂-CH=C(CH₃)₂ ] and a minor product 2-methyl-1-pentene [ CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-C(CH₃)=CH₂ ].

Step-by-step explanation:

Dehydration reaction is a reaction in which a molecule loses a water molecule in the presence of a dehydrating agent like sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).

Dehydration reaction of 2-methyl-2-pentanol gives a major product 2-methyl-2-pentene and a minor product 2-methyl-1-pentene.

CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-C(CH₃)₂-OH (2-methyl-2-pentanol)→ CH₃-CH₂-CH=C(CH₃)₂ (2-methyl-2-pentene, major) + CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-C(CH₃)=CH₂ (2-methyl-1-pentene, minor)

Since more substituted alkene is more stable than the less substituted alkene. So, the trisubstituted alkene, 2-methyl-2-pentene is more stable than the disubstituted alkene, 2-methyl-1-pentene.

Therefore, the trisubstituted alkene, 2-methyl-2-pentene is the major product and the disubstituted alkene, 2-methyl-1-pentene is the minor product.