Don’t worry if this seems overwhelming—this is just a preview of what we will see in later chapters,
along with a set of rules that will make it easier to understand how chemical reactions will proceed!
Feel free to come back to this chapter later to remind yourself of the rules that apply across the
board after reading further chapters.
MCAT Concept Check 4.4:
Before you move on, assess your understanding of the material with these questions.What are the two reactive centers of carbonyl-containing compounds?In which types of compounds are SN1 reactions most likely to occur? Why?In which types of compounds are SN2 reactions most likely to occur? Why?