I had posted this question yesterday morning at 4:58am. Any possibility someone can help?
I just completed a lab called "Acid-Catalyzed Dehydration of an Alcohol: Synthesis of 2-Octenes."
I started with 2-octanol and the lab instructions said the product had the possibility of being 1-octene, trans-2-octene, and/or cis-2-octene. I did end up with trans-2-octene (based on the IR spectrum). BUT, I'm not sure about how to answer this question:
Why should trans-2-octene be the major product?
Does it have something to do with "trans" being the most stable?
Thank you.