Question

Be sure to answer all parts. treatment of (hoch2ch2ch2ch2)2co with acid forms a product of molecular formula c9h16o2 and a molecule of water. draw the structures of the starting material, intermediate, and final product in the corresponding boxes below. part 1 out of 2 draw structure ... → draw structure ... → draw structure ... (hoch2ch2ch2ch2)2co intermediate final product

Answer 1

The reaction described above is the formation of an acetal. The initial starting material has a central carbonyl and two terminal alcohol functional groups. In the presence of acid, the carbonyl will become protonated, making the carbon of the carbonyl susceptible to nucleophilic attack from one of the alcohols. The alcohol substitutes onto the carbon of the carbonyl to provide us with the intermediate shown.

The intermediate will continue to react in the presence of acid and the -OH that was once the carbonyl will become protonated, turning it into a good leaving group. The protonated alcohol leaves and is substituted by the other terminal alcohol to give the final acetal product. The end result of the overall reaction is the loss of water from the original molecule to give the spiroacetal shown in the image provided.