Kinetic and Thermodynamic Enolates

Under construction

This page is a draft outline. It is visible to admins and still needs a full lesson.

Klein 21.5, the regioselectivity part. The kinetic-versus-thermodynamic page in the dienes chapter is about HBr addition to 1,3-butadiene, not enolates.

  • Why an unsymmetrical ketone can give two enolates.
  • Kinetic enolate: less substituted, formed fast with a strong bulky base such as LDA at low temperature.
  • Thermodynamic enolate: more substituted, favored when the enolate can equilibrate.
  • How the choice of base and temperature controls which α carbon is alkylated.
  • Practice before the existing direct-alkylation page, which can then refer here.