High School

Why must the glassware be free from acetone when performing a Grignard reaction?

1) Acetone is an electrophile that will react with the Grignard reagent.

2) Acetone reacts with the bromobenzene.

3) Acetone is a nucleophile that will react with the Grignard reagent.

4) Acetone reacts with the diethyl ether causing a side reaction to occur.

Answer :

Final answer:

The glassware must be free from acetone in a Grignard reaction because acetone is an electrophile that will react with the Grignard reagent, reducing yield of the desired product.

Explanation:

When performing a Grignard reaction, the glassware must be free from acetone because acetone is an electrophile that will react with the Grignard reagent. Acetone, being a ketone, has a carbonyl group that is highly reactive towards nucleophiles like Grignard reagents. Hence, if present, it would compete with the intended carbonyl substrate, reacting with the Grignard reagent to form an alcohol, thereby reducing the yield of the desired product or potentially leading to unwanted side reactions.

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