Question

__________________ alkyl halides and _____________ halides react the fastest in SN2 mechanisms, due to lack of ______________ ______________, where __________ alkyl halides react very slowly and _____________ alkyl halides are essentially unreactive toward an SN2 mechanism

Answer 1

Primary alkyl halides react the fastest in SN2 mechanisms due to lack of steric hindrance, while tertiary alkyl halides are essentially unreactive.

Step-by-step explanation:

In SN2 mechanisms, primary alkyl halides react the fastest, while tertiary alkyl halides are essentially unreactive. This is due to the structure of the substrate and steric hindrance.

Primary alkyl halides have the least amount of steric hindrance, allowing the nucleophile to easily approach the carbon atom and substitute the leaving group. Tertiary alkyl halides, on the other hand, have a bulky group attached to the carbon atom, making it difficult for the nucleophile to access the carbon atom.