The reaction of 2-chloropropane with sodium hydroxide can occur via both sn1 and sn2 mechanisms.

a) draw arrow pushing schematics for each sn1 and sn2 mechanism for this reaction.

b) identify the rate determining step for each of the mechanisms you drew in q2.

how exactly do i do this?

Explanation:

(a) Part 1: reaction. This is a nucleophilic substitution reaction in which we have two steps. Firstly, chlorine, a good leaving group, leaves the carbon skeleton to form a relatively stable secondary carbocation. This carbocation is then attacked by the hydroxide anion, our nucleophile, to form the final product.

To summarize, this mechanism takes places in two separate steps. The mechanism is attached below.

Part 2: reaction. This is a nucleophilic substitution reaction in which we have one step. Our nucleophile, hydroxide, attacks the carbon and then chlorine leaves simultaneously without an intermediate carbocation being formed.

The mechanism is attached as well.

(b) The rate determining step is the slow step. Formation of the carbocation has the greatest activation energy, so this is our rate determining step for . For , we only have one step, so the rate determining step is the attack of the nucleophile and the loss of the leaving group.

a rain shadow is a dry region of land on the side that is protected against the prevailing winds of a mountain range. the prevailing winds are the winds that occur most of the time in a particular place of the earth

prevailing winds carry air toward the mountain range. as the air rises up over a mountain range, the air cools, water vapor condenses, and clouds form. on this side of the mountains, called the windward side, precipitation falls in the form of  rain  or snow. this dry air produces a  rain shadow.