When an unsymmetrical alkene reacts in an electrophilic addition, the major product depends on the stability of potential carbocations formed during the reaction.

• Carbocation Stability
  • More alkyl groups = More stable carbocation.
  • Analogy: Think of alkyl groups as stabilizing cushions. A chair (the carbocation) is more stable with three cushions (tertiary carbocation) than just one cushion (primary carbocation).
• Markovnikov's Rule
  • States that in an unsymmetrical alkene, the electropositive part of the polarized electrophile will bond with the carbon with fewer alkyl groups.
  • Real-world Example: When adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) to propene (an unsymmetrical alkene), we get two possibilities: 2-bromopropane & 1-bromopropane. The champ here is 2-bromopropane because it forms via a more stable secondary carbocation!
• Organic Synthesis & Retrosynthesis
  • Organic synthesis is like a step-by-step recipe to convert starting material to a desired product.
  • Efficiency matters! Less is more. Each step yields less than perfect, so fewer steps = better yield.
  • Analogy: Imagine trying to travel from City A to City B. Instead of looking for a direct route, you first think about all the cities near City B and figure out which of them has a route to City A. That's retrosynthesis!