--- title: "SN2 with inversion (Walden) Template | MolDraw" url: https://www.moldraw.com/templates/sn2-walden-inversion/ description: "SN2 with inversion (Walden) template: Hydroxide attacks (R)-2-bromobutane opposite the C–Br bond; through a five-coordinate transition state the…" lang: en publisher: Scidart Academy generated: 2026-11-13 --- [MolDraw](https://www.moldraw.com/) › [Templates](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/) › [Mechanisms](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/mechanisms/) › SN2 with inversion (Walden) [Mechanisms](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/mechanisms/)Premium # SN2 with inversion (Walden) template ![SN2 with inversion (Walden) template: Hydroxide attacks (R)-2-bromobutane opposite the C–Br bond; through a five-coordinate transition state the configuration inverts to (S)-butan-2-ol.](https://www.moldraw.com/templates/sn2-walden-inversion.webp) [Edit in MolDraw](https://www.moldraw.com/)Download with Pro Premium template. Preview and edit it free in MolDraw; downloading and exporting it is part of [MolDraw Pro](https://www.moldraw.com/pricing). Hydroxide attacks (R)-2-bromobutane opposite the C–Br bond; through a five-coordinate transition state the configuration inverts to (S)-butan-2-ol. ## Mechanism step by step Backside attack turns the stereocentre inside out: (R)-2-bromobutane gives (S)-butan-2-ol 1. **Backside attack** – O–C forms as C–Br breaks: one step, inversion ## Key points - Rate = k[R–Br][OH⁻]: both species are in the single, bimolecular step. - The nucleophile enters opposite the leaving group, so the other three groups flip like an umbrella in the wind. - Inversion is geometric; R/S may or may not change. Here OH takes the place of Br in the priority order, so R becomes S. - An optically pure halide gives an optically pure product; SN1 through a planar cation gives a largely racemised one. Drawn with 24 atoms, 4 arrows, 5 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw. ## Sources - [Clayden, Greeves & Warren, Organic Chemistry, 2nd ed., OUP 2012, ch. 15](https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780199270293) Textbook - [Smith, March's Advanced Organic Chemistry, 8th ed., Wiley 2020, ch. 10](https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119371809) Textbook - [Walden, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1896, 29, 133](https://doi.org/10.1002/cber.18960290127) Original paper - [Hughes, Juliusburger, Masterman, Topley & Weiss, J. Chem. Soc. 1935, 1525](https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9350001525) Original paper ## How to use this template 1. Press **Edit in MolDraw**. The template opens on the canvas of the free MolDraw editor. 2. Change anything: move structures, edit atoms and labels, recolour highlights or delete what you do not need. 3. Add your own structures, arrows and text next to it, or combine several templates on one page. 4. Export the drawing as PNG, SVG or PDF for slides, worksheets, theses and papers. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the SN2 with inversion (Walden) template free? You can preview the SN2 with inversion (Walden) 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 SN2 with inversion (Walden) 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. ### What is a curly-arrow mechanism template? A ready-made drawing of a reaction mechanism in which curved arrows show where electron pairs move in each step. 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