The following reaction is a common synthesis used in the organic chemistry laboratory course.

When we double the concentration of methoxide ion (CH3O-), we find that the reaction rate doubles. When we triple the concentration of 1-bromobutane, we find that the reaction rate triples.
(a) What is the order of this reaction with respect to 1-bromobutane? What is the order with respect to methoxide ion? Write the rate equation for this reaction. What is the overall order?
(b) One lab textbook recommends forming the sodium methoxide in methanol solvent, but before adding 1-bromobutane, they first distill off enough methanols to reduce the mixture to half of its original volume. What difference in rate will we see when we run the reaction (using the same amounts of reagents) in half the volume of solvent?

Transcribed Image Text:

CH3CH,CH.CH.Br 1-bromobutane СНО- CH OHCH,CH CH,CH,OCH Br СН,CH,CH.CH.OCH, methoxybutane Br_ bromide ion + + снон (methanol solvent)