Predict the products of the following reaction. Assume the pH is 7.
E) Both a and d could form at pH 7.

Question

Predict the products of the following reaction. Assume the pH is 7. 
E) Both a and d could form at pH 7.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The reaction involves hydrolysis of an ester bond. At pH 7, the lone pair on the nitrogen of the molecule will act as a nucleophile and attack the carbonyl carbon, resulting in the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate. This intermediate can undergo an elimination reaction, where either the ethanol or the carboxylic acid group leaves to form either product a or product d. Therefore, both product a and product d can be formed at pH 7.

Predict the Products of the Following Reaction