What are the differences in the reactivity of #"bromoethane"#, and #"2-bromopentane"#?

Question

Paisley Boney · Accepted Answer

Well, #"bromoethane"# should be more reactive for a reaction with a associative mechanism...........

And #"2-bromopentane"# should be more reactive in a dissociative scenario. So bromoethane should be liable to undergo reaction with, say, #NaOH#, in an #S_N2# mechanism, to form ethyl alcohol and sodium bromide. Under the same conditions, #"2-bromopentane"# might be liable to undergo elimination to give #"2-pentylene"#. To be honest, I have no idea.

Madison Anderson · Answer

undefined The primary difference in reactivity between bromoethane and 2-bromopentane lies in their molecular structure and the nature of the carbon atoms to which the bromine atoms are attached. Bromoethane is a primary alkyl halide, while 2-bromopentane is a secondary alkyl halide. Primary alkyl halides generally undergo substitution reactions more readily compared to secondary alkyl halides due to the stability of the carbocation intermediate formed during the reaction. Additionally, the size and branching of the alkyl group can also influence reactivity, with more substituted alkyl halides generally being less reactive due to steric hindrance.