Many current textbooks suggest that, in contrast to base catalyzed epoxide ring opening, acid catalyzed epoxide ring opening reactions proceed via a carbocation intermediate with nucleophilic attack at the more hindered carbon. However, we show that slow addition of propylene oxide to concentrated or dilute hydrochloric acid yields predominantly 1 -chloro-2-propanol and a smaller amount of 2-chloro-1 -propanol. The reaction may be varied by addition of inert solvents or by the addition of sodium bromide to demonstrate changes in the mechanism ( Sn-1 versus Sn-2) and nucleophilic competition.
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Citation
Phillips, Rebecca E.; Soulen, Robert L. J. Chem. Educ.1995 72 624.
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