PDF | Organic Chemistry Part- 1 – Download

The energy levelincreases at the start of each energy diagram, because a bond is being broken. In the caseof the SnI reaction, the intermediate is of lower energy than the transition state, because the carbocation can rehybridize to the less crowded s^-center rather than an sp3-center and the intermediate can be solvated in a protic solvent. The increase in energy from the intermediate to the second transition state is associated with rehybridization to the more crowded sp3-center and the intermediate losing solvation to allow the nucleophile to attack. It is important to be able to recognize these diagrams and apply the information they contain to conceptual questions.