Question

    Which two organic chemists discovered the peroxide

    effect in the addition of reagents to unsaturated compounds in 1933?
    A Morris S. Kharasch and Frank R. Mayo Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    B C. John Cadogan and Luis M. Campos Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    C B. Steven Bachrach and Roald Hoffmann Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    D Justus von Liebig and Friedrich Wöhler Correct Answer Incorrect Answer

    Solution

    In 1933, Morris S. Kharasch and Frank R. Mayo identified the peroxide effect (also known as the Kharasch effect) when adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) to unsaturated compounds like alkenes. They discovered that in the presence of organic peroxides, HBr addition follows an anti-Markovnikov pattern, with bromine attaching to the less substituted carbon atom. This significant finding in radical chain mechanisms has had far-reaching impacts on polymer chemistry and industrial processes.

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