Organic reactions illustrating using curved arrows

The curved arrow notation introduced in Section 1.5 is a powerful method used by organic chemists to show the movement of electrons not only in resonance structures, but also in chemical reactions. Since each curved arrow shows the movement of two electrons, following the curved arrows illustrates what bonds are broken and formed in a reaction. Consider the following three-step process, (a) Add curved arrows in Step [1] to show the movement of electrons, (b) Use the curved arrows drawn in Step [2] to identify the structure of X. X is converted in Step [3] to phenol and HCI. 

Curved arrows like the ones here are often used to illustrate organic reaction mechanisms. They show the direction in which electron pairs move as they form new bonds. 

In Chapter 6 we shall begin our study of organic reaction mechanisms in earnest. Let us consider now one mechanism as an example, one that allows us to apply some of the chemistry we have learned in this chapter and one that, at the same time, will reinforce what we have learned about how curved arrows are used to illustrate mechanisms. 

Curved arrows are used to illustrate the mechanism by which an organic reaction occurs. Uniike their use in resonance structures, curved arrows in a reaction mechanism correspond to the actuai ma/ementdl electrons. 

Acids and bases Chapter 2 on acids and bases serves two purposes. It gives students experience with curved arrow notation using some familiar proton transfer reactions. It also illustrates how some fundamental concepts in organic structure affect a reaction, in this case an acid-base reaction. Since many mechanisms involve one or more acid-base reactions, 1 emphasize proton transfer reactions early and come back to this topic often throughout the text. 

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