Question

What solvent does ${\mathrm{E}}_1$ prefer?

Answer 1

E1 reactions:

• The reaction which involves the elimination of a leaving group to form unsaturated compounds is called the ${\mathrm{E}}_1$ reaction.
• ${\mathrm{E}}_1$ reactions are favored by good ionizing solvents such as polar protic solvents.
• The polar protic solvents stabilize the carbocation intermediate.
• This type of solvent is capable of Hydrogen bonding and some common examples of polar protic solvents include water and alcohol.
• To understand the mechanism more, let us have a look at the diagram below: