Polar aprotic solvent sn2 rate

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SUMMARY

In a Finkelstein reaction, increasing the volume of a polar aprotic solvent, such as acetone, does not necessarily double the reaction rate of the SN2 mechanism. Polar aprotic solvents enhance SN2 reactions by effectively dissolving ionic nucleophiles without solvation through hydrogen bonding. The rate constant (k) is defined by the concentrations of the substrate and nucleophile, and simply doubling the solvent volume alters the concentration of the reactants, which impacts the reaction rate. Therefore, the reaction rate will not increase proportionally with the solvent volume increase.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of SN2 reaction mechanisms
  • Knowledge of polar aprotic solvents and their properties
  • Familiarity with reaction rate equations and rate constants
  • Basic principles of solvation and ionic nucleophiles
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  • Research the effects of different polar aprotic solvents on SN2 reaction rates
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In a Finkelstein rxn, if more acetone is added so that the total volume of the solution is doubled, would the reaction be faster or slower and by how much?

Polar aprotic solvents (like acetone) increase the rate of SN2 reactions by dissolving the ionic nucleophile and yet not solvating the nucleophile by H-bonding.

k = [substrate] [nucleophile]

so would the reaction increase by twice as much?
 
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Well, look at your equation for k, what changes by doubling the amount of solvent?
 

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