Chemistry
The Mechanistic Distinctions Between E1 and E2 Elimination Reactions
Quick fact
In E2 reactions, the base, the hydrogen, and the leaving group must align in an anti-periplanar arrangement—a stereoelectronic requirement that can force a molecule into a specific conformation. This alignment is unnecessary in E1, which instead relies on the stability of the carbocation that forms.
Why this is interesting
Two molecules with the same formula can lose the same atoms, yet form different alkenes. Why does one reaction happen in a single step while the other pauses for a brief, unstable intermediate?