Chapter 4: Alcohols and Alkyl Halides
What are Inductive Effects ?
An
inductive effect
is an electronic effect due to the polarisation of
s
bonds
within a molecule or ion.
In a carbocation, the positive C attracts the electrons in the
s
bonds towards itself and away from the atom at the other end of the
s
bond.
Electrons in
C-C
bonds are more readily polarised than those in a
C-H
bond.
Therefore, alkyl groups are better at stabilising C+ than H atoms.
