Carbonyl groups provide a great starting point for synthesis reactions due to the reactivity at the alpha carbon position.
Alpha halogenation is a great reaction to introduce leaving groups at the alpha position for further substitution or elimination reactions.
Alpha halogenation can take place under acidic or basic conditions. The video below walks you through the reaction and step by step mechanism.
(Watch on YouTube: Alpha Halogenation. Click cc on the bottom right for video transcript)
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This is video 2 in the Enolates and Reactions at the Alpha Carbon Series. Click for complete series
