Asked by Anyce Tripp on Apr 23, 2024

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Treatment of tetrahydrofuran with excess HBr results in the formation of what major organic product?

A) 1-bromobutane
B) 1,2-dibromobutane
C) 1,4-dibromobutane
D) 1-bromopentane
E) 1,5-dibromopentane

Tetrahydrofuran

An organic compound, often abbreviated as THF, which is a cyclic ether with a formula of (CH2)4O, widely used as a solvent in organic synthesis.

HBr

Hydrogen bromide, a diatomic molecule consisting of hydrogen and bromine, used as a reagent in various chemical reactions.

1,4-Dibromobutane

1,4-Dibromobutane is an organic compound characterized by a four-carbon chain with bromine atoms attached to the first and fourth carbon atoms, used in various chemical syntheses.

  • Understand the behavior of ethers when exposed to acidic environments and forecast the resultant product formation.
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ZK
Zybrea KnightMay 02, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
Tetrahydrofuran has a ring structure with an oxygen atom, and excess HBr will result in the ring opening reaction via acid-catalyzed nucleophilic addition to the oxygen atom. The first addition generates a primary carbocation that then undergoes further nucleophilic attack by another HBr molecule. The major product obtained from this reaction is 1,4-dibromobutane, which is formed by the addition of two HBr molecules to the opposite carbons of the butane chain. This reaction is an example of anti-Markovnikov addition.