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Hofmann elimination template
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Exhaustive methylation gives the trimethylammonium ion; hydroxide removes a hydrogen from the CH₃ (E2) to give but-1-ene, not but-2-ene.
Mechanism step by step
A quaternary ammonium hydroxide eliminates to the less substituted alkene
- Methylation – The last of three SN2 methylations
- E2 (Hofmann rule) – Hydroxide takes an H from the least hindered CH₃
Key points
- Hofmann rule: the less substituted alkene, the opposite of Zaitsev.
- The bulky NMe₃⁺ group and an early, carbanion-like E2 transition state favour the most accessible H.
- Ag₂O/H₂O swaps iodide for hydroxide.
- Historically used to locate nitrogen in alkaloids.
Drawn with 50 atoms, 8 arrows, 4 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.
Sources
How to use this template
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Hofmann elimination template free?
You can preview the Hofmann elimination template here and open and edit it in MolDraw for free. Downloading or exporting it is part of MolDraw Pro, together with the other premium templates.
Can I edit the Hofmann elimination template?
Yes. It opens as an ordinary MolDraw drawing, so every structure, arrow, label and colour can be changed, and you can add your own content around it.
Is the chemistry checked?
Every structure is checked with RDKit and every curly arrow passes MolDraw’s electron-flow audit. The sources used are listed on this page.
Which name reactions are included?
Over seventy, covering the reactions most often asked in school-leaving exams (A-level, IB, CBSE, JEE and NEET) and first-year university courses, including condensations, rearrangements, oxidations, reductions and aromatic substitutions.