Curved Arrow Press Forum

When one mole of bromine reacts with one mole of 1,3-butadiene in the dark, the product that is formed the most rapidly, the "Kinetic Product", is called? a) (Z)-3,4-Dibromo-2-butene b) (E)-1,2-Dibromo-3-butene c) (E)-1,4-Dibromo-2-butene d) 3,4-Dibromo-1-butene

Although my book had used temperature as a hint to whether a kinetic or thermodynamic product would form, here we are asked directly to give the kinetic product. The term "in the dark" I take to mean, ionic rather than a radical process. This is the mechanism I have in "The Language of Organic Chemistry"© While that reaction is probably more selective as the greater charge is born by a tertiary carbocation than the secondary here. I expect the kinetic product will be d).