Question

What is regioselectivity? Give an example

Answer 1

Regioselectivity

• It refers to the process of selection, where one atom is selected over other atoms by some specific reagent.
• It determines which chemical product from that specific reaction is the major product and which is the minor product in a chemical process with many products.
• This is reliant on the reagent molecules' likely attachment sites to the target molecule.

For example

• The concept of regioselectivity is explained in Markovnikov’s rule, where two products are produced, in which the major product is formed due to the stable intermediate.

• The reaction of Hydrogen bromide $\left(\mathrm{HBr}\right)$ and propene $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{HC}={\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)$ gives two products a major (2-bromopropane) and a minor (1-bromopropane), which are called regioisomers.