What happens when there are two halogens attached to a central carbon atom? Is the hydrogen closest to the more electronegative halogen the most acidic hydrogen because the inductive effect will be slightly stronger? For example:
Cl
Cl F |
HO \ / OH (not sure if that’s clear) —> HO–C–C–C–OH
\/\/ |
F
or, because of the tetrahedral geometry about the central carbon, are both hydrogens equally acidic? (If that’s true, aren’t the halogen-involved bond angles greater than 109.5 degrees because of their electronegativity?)
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What happens when there are two halogens attached to a central carbon atom? Is the hydrogen closest to the more electronegative halogen the most acidic hydrogen because the inductive effect will be slightly stronger? For example:
Cl
Cl F |
HO \ / OH (not sure if that’s clear) —> HO–C–C–C–OH
\/\/ |
F
or, because of the tetrahedral geometry about the central carbon, are both hydrogens equally acidic? (If that’s true, aren’t the halogen-involved bond angles greater than 109.5 degrees because of their electronegativity?)
Thanks!
Ok—my lame attempt at a bond line drawing definitely got mangled. Sorry! :(
Sorry again…there should be a fluorine and a chlorine attached to the central carbon.