Zaitsev’s rule

Definition

Zaitsev's rule predicts the outcome of elimination reactions, stating that the more substituted alkene product is preferred over less substituted alternatives. It helps in determining the major product when a reactant can potentially lead to two or more different alkenes.

Related terms

Elimination Reaction: A type of organic reaction where two substituents are removed from a molecule, resulting in the formation of a double bond.

Alkene: Hydrocarbons that contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond and are involved as products in elimination reactions.

Substitution Reaction: An organic reaction where an atom or group of atoms in a molecule is replaced by another atom or group of atoms