Zaitsev's rule

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Zaitsev's rule or Saytzeff's rule named after A. N. Zaitsev is a rule in chemistry that states: If more than one alkene can be formed by an elimination reaction, the more stable alkene is the major product. In general, the compound that has a more highly substituted C=C double bond is more stable due to the electron donating properties of the alkyl group.

Alexander M. Zaitsev was a professor at the University of Kazan (Russia) in the late 1800s. In 1875 he put forth a generalization about the regioselectivity of β elimination reactions from alcohols.

He said," The alkene formed in greatest amount is the one that corresponds to removal of the hydrogen from the β-carbon having the fewest hydrogen substituents."

Another way to state it is in elimination reactions, the major reaction product is the alkene with the more highly substituted (more stable) double bond. This most-substituted alkene is also the most stable.

This rule is correct only when there are no other substituents beside carbon and hydrogen. Once other atoms are added; electronegativity, resonance, and other factors no longer make the rule valid. Now this rule is usually stated a different way: Under thermodynamic conditions β elimination occurs to form the most stable alkene.

References

Carey & Sundberg Organic Chemistry second edition page 179.

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