Ethyl bromide can react with sodium hydroxide to give ethanol or ethylene. How are these two reactions classified?

1 Answer
anor277
Oct 26, 2017

Well, one is a substitution, and t'other is an elimination....

Explanation:

Both are bimolecular, as witness the #2# in the #S_N2"/"E2# labels...and the rate thus depends on the concentrations of TWO reactants....electrophile, and nucleophile for #S_N2#, and substrate and base for #E2#...

You should read the relevant chapter in your organic text.

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