Contextualization

Elimination reactions are fundamental in organic chemistry, being responsible for the formation of large quantities of complex organic compounds. With a deep understanding of these reactions, we will be able to manipulate and control the creation of many types of organic compounds.

Elimination reactions are those in which an organic compound loses elements or groups of elements (such as atoms or molecules) from its structure, resulting in a product with more unsaturations (double or triple bonds) than the original compound. The most common type of elimination reaction is beta elimination (β-elimination), which involves the removal of atoms or groups of atoms on adjacent carbons.

These reactions are particularly useful in organic chemistry due to their ability to create unsaturated compounds, which can then be used in various other reactions to create a wide range of products. By understanding elimination reactions, it is possible to create effective synthetic routes for a huge amount of substances.

In the real world, elimination reactions play a crucial role in a variety of industries, including the pharmaceutical, polymers, and fuels industries. In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, elimination reactions are used to create a variety of essential medications. In the polymers industry, these reactions are fundamental in the production of plastics and resins. In the fuels industry, elimination reactions are used in petroleum refining.

Therefore, learning about elimination reactions is not just an academic exercise, but also a practical skill that has real and impactful applications. It is in this sense that we invite you to dive into this project, exploring these concepts and their practical applications in depth.

Practical Activity

Title: Eliminating Barriers - A Dive into Elimination Reactions

Project Objective

The objective of this project is for students to investigate and deeply understand elimination reactions in organic chemistry, through the execution of a laboratory experiment, an in-depth theoretical study, and the production of a detailed written report.

Detailed Project Description

1. Theoretical study: Students will start by researching in-depth about elimination reactions, addressing topics such as: Types of elimination reactions (E1, E2), reaction mechanism, factors influencing reaction rate, catalysts, synthetic routes, and products of elimination reactions. Students should also investigate practical and real-world applications of these reactions, focusing on at least three different industries.

2. Laboratory experiment: Students will conduct a laboratory experiment in which they will synthesize an alkene from an alkyl halide through an E2 type elimination reaction.

3. Report: After completing the experiment, students will analyze the results obtained and write a detailed report.

Required Materials

• Alkyl halide (1-bromopropane)
• Potassium hydroxide (KOH)
• Alcohol (ethanol)
• Appropriate laboratory equipment: beaker, test tubes, dropper, Bunsen burner, etc.

The complete list of necessary materials and safety precautions should be provided by the teacher responsible for the school's chemical laboratory.

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution

1. Theoretical study: Divide into groups and research the above-mentioned topics, relying on the suggested resources. The goal of this phase is to gain a deep understanding of elimination reactions and their practical importance.

2. Laboratory experiment: After becoming familiar with the theoretical concepts, each group will carry out the laboratory experiment under supervision. To do this, they must follow the detailed instructions provided by the teacher.

3. Report: Finally, each group will write a report in which they will first introduce the studied theory and the experimental procedure. In the development section, they should describe in detail the execution of the experiment, present the collected data, and discuss the results. In the conclusion, they should reflect on what they learned, the difficulties encountered, and how they solved these problems. Finally, list the bibliography used.

Project Submission

1. Written report: The report must have at least 10 pages and must meet the mentioned criteria (Introduction, Development, Conclusion, and Bibliography). The report must be submitted in digital format.

2. Oral presentation: After submitting the report, the groups will present their results in an oral presentation session, where they will explain the theory, the experiment, what they learned, the difficulties encountered, and how they solved these problems. Each group will have 15 minutes to present and answer questions.

The group size should be 3 to 5 students, and the total duration of the project should be approximately 12 hours per student.