Question detail
What is the result of the electrophilic addition of hydrogen bromide to an alkene?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Alkenes
Question
- A. Formation of an alkane
- B. Formation of a bromoalkane
- C. Formation of an alcohol
- D. Formation of a polymer
Answer
Formation of a bromoalkane
Explanation
The electrophilic addition of hydrogen bromide (HBr) to an alkene results in the formation of a bromoalkane, where the bromine atom adds to one carbon of the double bond and hydrogen adds to the other.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Electrophilic Addition
Students often confuse the electrophilic addition mechanism with nucleophilic substitution, failing to recognize that electrophiles attack the double bond in alkenes.
To clarify, remember that electrophilic addition involves the attack of an electrophile on the C=C bond. For example, in the reaction with hydrogen bromide (HBr), the electrophile (H+) adds to one carbon atom of the double bond, while the bromide ion (Br-) adds to the other. This can be outlined as follows: 1. **Formula/Rule**: Electrophilic addition of HBr to an alkene follows the rule that the electrophile attacks the double bond. 2. **Substitution**: For an alkene like ethene (C2H4), the reaction is C2H4 + HBr. 3. **Working**: The double bond opens up, and H+ attaches to one carbon, forming a carbocation, while Br- attaches to the other carbon. 4. **Answer**: The product is bromoethane (C2H5Br). 5. **Units/Conclusion**: The reaction shows how alkenes react with electrophiles, resulting in saturated products.
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