Examples Of The Finkelstein Reaction

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Finkelstein reaction
The Finkelstein reaction is a biomolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction (SN2) and is an example of a halide exchange reaction.1 The reaction was named after the German scientist, Hans Finkelstein, and was published in a journal in 1910.2 The usual Finkelstein reaction consists of the halogen atom on either an alkyl chloride or alkyl bromide being replaced by an iodine atom to form an alkyl iodide. The solvent and halide salt typically utilised are acetone and sodium iodide, this is since both the alkyl halides, formed as the product and used as the reactant, are soluble in acetone as well as the sodium iodide also being soluble in this solvent.3
Reaction scheme
Although this reaction is referred to as an equilibrium …show more content…

Primary alkyl halides are the most suitable to undergo this reaction, followed by secondary alkyl halides but tertiary alkyl halides are rather unreactive.4The readiness of the alkyl halide to undergo the Finkelstein reaction affects the rate of the reaction, as primary alkyl halides have the fastest rate and secondary being second fastest. The unreactive nature of tertiary alkyl halides leads to a slight different pathway, as the reaction occurs in unimolecular nucleophilic substitution manner (SN1) as steric hinderance plays a part in not allowing the SN2 route.5There are more variables that can influence the rate of the Finkelstein reaction such as the use of other solvents, the halide being displaced, the length of the carbon chain in the alkyl group and the type of halide such as benzyl …show more content…

The detection of hydrogen atom resonances is possible since the isotope has a spin of half.6 An external magnetic field is applied to the sample, promoting the nuclei to a higher energy level. Once the nuclei return to their original energy levels, energy is emitted which is measured helping to build up a spectrum. Samples used for this type of spectroscopy are usually in solution form by dissolving the desired substance in a solvent. The type of solvent used must be deuterated or not contain hydrogen atoms as a solvent proton peak could obstruct the solution solvent peak, examples of solvents that could be used are deuterated acetone and deuterated chloroform. Tetramethylsilane (TMS) is commonly used as an internal standard to calibrate the spectrum due to its sharp single peak caused by its twelve chemically equivalent hydrogens and its assigned chemical shift which is

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