Lab questions to Diels Alder butadiene experiment :
Why do the anhydride groups of the maleic anhydride reactant help the Diels-Alder reaction go faster?
Why does the diene need to be in the s-cis conformation to give the cyclic product?
Why is it not possible for the Diels-Alder reaction to make the trans product 4-cyclohexene-trans-1,2-dicarboxylic acid anhydride?
1 answer
The Diels-Alder rxn is favored by the presence of electron withdrawing grps in the dieneophile.Maleic anhydride has two carbonyl grps making it a strong dienophile.