HSAB theory - 2024 ACF Regionals @ Cornell

Question

This theory classifies lead cations and aniline as intermediate species in its two namesake classes. For 10 points each:

[10m] Name this theory developed by Ralph Pearson that is important in transition metal chemistry. This theory sorts species based on polarizability, oxidation state, and atomic radius, among other factors.

ANSWER: HSAB theory [or hard soft acid base theory or hard and soft (Lewis) acid and base theory]

[10e] In HSAB theory, chemical potential is equal to the negative of this quantity on the Mulliken scale. This quantity is the tendency of an element to attract shared electrons in a bond.

ANSWER: electronegativity [prompt on chi]

[10h] In this rule implied by HSAB theory, the more electronegative nucleophile is used when the reaction has an SN1 (“S-N-one”) mechanism. It is named for a chemist who also names an oxidation reaction that converts an alkyl halide and a tosylate (“toss-ill-ate”) into a carbonyl.

ANSWER: Kornblum’s rule [accept Kornblum oxidation]

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Summary


2024 ACF Regionals @ Berkeley	01/27/2024	Y	3	20.00	67%	100%	33%
2024 ACF Regionals @ Cornell	01/27/2024	Y	2	10.00	100%	0%	0%
2024 ACF Regionals @ JMU	01/27/2024	Y	8	10.00	88%	13%	0%
2024 ACF Regionals @ Minnesota	01/27/2024	Y	2	15.00	100%	50%	0%
2024 ACF Regionals @ Ohio State	01/27/2024	Y	3	13.33	100%	0%	33%
2024 ACF Regionals @ Rutgers	01/27/2024	Y	5	16.00	100%	40%	20%
2024 ACF Regionals @ Imperial	01/27/2024	Y	8	11.25	75%	25%	13%
2024 ACF Regionals @ Vanderbilt	01/27/2024	Y	5	10.00	100%	0%	0%
2024 ACF Regionals @ MIT	01/27/2024	Y	3	13.33	100%	33%	0%

Data


Cornell A	Binghamton	0	10	0	10
Cornell C	Cornell B	0	10	0	10