R3.4.12 – Addition of hydrogen halides to asymmetrical alkenes
📌 Asymmetrical alkenes
- Asymmetrical alkenes are ones in which more than one type of product can be formed
- To determine which product is more stable (ie likely to be produced), the number of positive induvctive effects acting on the central carbon atom must be determined
- The greater the inductive effect, the more stable the product is
📌 Markovnikov’s rule
- Markovnikov’s rule states that the more electropositive part of the reacting species bonds to the least highly substituted carbon atom in the alkene
- Using this rule, we can determine which product will be more likely to be produced, and therefore determine the reaction mechanism