Question detail
What type of mechanism is involved in the reaction of acyl chlorides with nucleophiles?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Carboxylic acids and derivatives (A-level only)
Question
- A. Nucleophilic addition-elimination
- B. Electrophilic addition
- C. Free radical substitution
- D. Electrophilic substitution
Answer
Nucleophilic addition-elimination
Explanation
The correct option is Nucleophilic addition-elimination. Nucleophilic addition-elimination is the best answer because it directly supports the AQA A-Level Chemistry objective to explain reactions of acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides. This reasoning is anchored to Carboxylic acids, esters and acyl derivatives (A-level only) in Carboxylic acids and derivatives (A-level only), and it separates acyl chloride from similar A-Level ideas rather than relying on a vague recall statement. Other options are weaker if they use the wrong evidence, calculation, mechanism, observation, unit, or conclusion for this subtopic.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Reactivity
Students often confuse the reactivity of acyl chlorides with that of carboxylic acids, thinking they react in the same way with nucleophiles.
Remember that acyl chlorides are more reactive than carboxylic acids due to the presence of the chlorine atom, which is a better leaving group. Focus on the mechanism of nucleophilic addition-elimination for acyl chlorides.
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