Category: Chemical reactivity

In organic chemistry, unsaturated hydrocarbons are generally more reactive and less stable than their saturated counterparts. This fundamental difference in reactivity stems from the distinct bonding patterns found within each class of molecules.

In organic chemistry, the dehydration of alcohols is a common elimination reaction that forms alkenes and water. A fundamental principle is that not all alcohols dehydrate at the same rate, with reactivity strongly dependent on the alcohol's structure. Tertiary alcohols are the ones that dehydrate most easily under the mildest conditions.