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Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction template
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Triethyl phosphite attacks iodomethane; iodide then dealkylates the phosphonium ion to give diethyl methylphosphonate and iodoethane.
Mechanism step by step
A trialkyl phosphite and an alkyl halide give a phosphonate
- SN2 at carbon – The phosphorus lone pair attacks CH₃–I
- Dealkylation – Iodide attacks an ethyl group; P=O forms
Key points
- P(III) becomes P(V): the strong P=O bond drives the second step.
- The phosphonate products are Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reagents.
- Works best with primary alkyl halides (SN2 in both steps).
- The ethyl iodide by-product distils off, pushing the reaction on.
Drawn with 72 atoms, 7 arrows, 4 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.
Sources
How to use this template
- Press Edit in MolDraw. The template opens on the canvas of the free MolDraw editor.
- Change anything: move structures, edit atoms and labels, recolour highlights or delete what you do not need.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction template free?
You can preview the Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction 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 Michaelis–Arbuzov reaction 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.