Question

What is the major organic product of the following reaction? (Note, heat can be listed as a separate step or included in the second step for the Hofmann elimination reaction).

a) Alkene
b) Alkyne
c) Amine
d) Alkane

Answer 1

a) Alkene. The major product of a Hofmann elimination reaction is an alkene, due to the loss of a water molecule and the formation of a double bond between adjacent carbons.

Step-by-step explanation:

The major organic product of a Hofmann elimination reaction, typically involving the loss of a water molecule from the starting material, is an alkene.

The reaction pathway includes the removal of a hydrogen from one carbon and a hydroxide group (OH) from an adjacent carbon, resulting in the formation of a double bond between these two carbons.

This process is commonly induced by the application of heat. Here, the elimination of water (H2O) leads to the formation of an alkene as the major organic product. In the context provided, if the reaction proceeds by removing two hydrogens (H2), an alkane would be the product of a reduction reaction, not elimination.

The reaction can be classified as a synthesis reaction when multiple substances combine to form a single product, and as a decomposition reaction when a single substance breaks down into multiple products.

Specifically, the formation of an alkene from another organic compound by elimination would be considered a decomposition reaction, as it involves the breakdown of a larger molecule into a smaller molecule and water.