Comments on: How to apply electronegativity and resonance to understand reactivity

By: Anton Muravev

Anton Muravev — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:57:01 +0000

Dear James, it’s an excellent website where I can find many useful remarks relevant for teaching undergraduate students. Thank you for your work! I just noticed that, In the summary box, for the resonance hybrid of enamines, delta plus should be located on the nitrogen atom rather than on carbon atom.

By: James Ashenhurst

James Ashenhurst — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 04:55:32 +0000

In reply to Bharath Hegde. fixed, thank you

By: Bharath Hegde

Bharath Hegde — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 18:47:12 +0000

In the third pic of resonance hybrids, the first one on the acetate ion, i think you forgot the ‘-‘ (-ve formal charge) in between the two oxygens on the resonance hybrid

By: dr klbajaj

dr klbajaj — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:42:30 +0000

In reply to james. Iagree woth you.thanks

By: james

james — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:52:28 +0000

In reply to Joseph McClaren.

Talked about it a bit here, but it didn’t involve resonance.
https://masterorganicchemistry.com/2011/11/15/how_to_use_electronegativity/

I’ve been meaning to write a post called “Formal Charge has its plusses and minuses…”

By: Joseph McClaren

Joseph McClaren — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:25:17 +0000

‘The formal charge of + 1 on oxygen does not represent electron density’

Thank You! I think this is something that confuses a lot of students.
Great article, very nice summary.

I’d love to see more examples of working through the logic of where the electron density is. This is essential for understanding how and when reactions will take place.

By: james

james — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:07:34 +0000

In reply to vu quoc. Thanks!

By: james

james — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:04:01 +0000

In reply to dr klbajaj. True, I didn't include the specific details of the arrows because they hadn't been introduced in this series yet and the exact details weren't important ; just wanted to show that this was a *plausible* reaction. Sorry if this wasn't clear.

By: vu quoc

vu quoc — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:15:29 +0000

thanks for this topic. It is good.

By: dr klbajaj

dr klbajaj — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:22:38 +0000

FROM THE REACTION BETWEEN DIETHYLZINC AND ENAMINE THERE IS BOND FORMATIONBETWEEN C-C RESULTING INTO AN INTERMEDIATE CONTAING ZINC.IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER TO SHOW HOW THE BREAKING OF BOND BETWEEN C AND ZINCTAKES PLACE.THANKS FOR NICE EXPLANATION FOR USE OF RESONANCE AND ELECTRNEGTIVITY IN REACTION MECHANISM