In the synthesis of pure alkyl chlorides via Darzen's procedure, treating an alcohol with yields retention of configuration. What happens to the stereochemistry if the reaction is conducted in the pre

Question

In the synthesis of pure alkyl chlorides via Darzen's procedure, treating an alcohol with $SOCl_2$ yields retention of configuration. What happens to the stereochemistry if the reaction is conducted in the presence of pyridine?

Prashant Kotian · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. Pyridine neutralizes the byproduct, liberating free nucleophiles. This forces the mechanism from internal return () to a classical bimolecular backside attack, yielding strict inversion.

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