Major product formed when 1,1,1-trichloropropane is treated with aq.KOH

Question

kainui · Answer

So what possibilities do you think might happen? What is KOH? Is it an acid, base, nucleophile? Is it strong or weak? Is SN1, SN2, E1, E2 preferable here? Is there a good leaving group? Show me your best guess by explaining what you know or drawing a picture with curved arrows or something and I will help you get the right answer.

anonymous · Answer

Is it propionic acid?

kainui · Answer

Why do you say that?

anonymous · Answer

is it true?

anonymous · Answer

is my answer wrong?

kainui · Answer

What's your reasoning? It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong if you're just guessing.

kainui · Answer

There are only two possible outcomes. A deprotonated alkyne or propionic acid. But it all depends on whether it undergoes SN2 or E2.

anonymous · Answer

U see all the three chlorine atoms get replaced by hydroxide ion....and as 3 hydroxide ion attached to the same carbon atom is not stable,loses 1 mole of water to form a acidic group

kainui · Answer

Almost right, although you'll get an acyl chloride first since the geminal diol you have will be far too unstable to exist long enough for the third one to get on there.