Frequently Asked Question

The reaction of 1-methylcyclopentene with BH3-THF followed by H2O2, NaOH is a hydroboration-oxidation reaction, which converts the alkene into an alcohol. Here's the step-by-step mechanism:
1. Hydroboration: BH3 (borane) in THF (tetrahydrofuran) adds to the alkene in a syn fashion (both H and B add to the same side of the double bond). The boron atom adds to the less substituted carbon, forming a trialkylborane.
2. Oxidation: The trialkylborane is then treated with H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide). This step replaces the boron atoms with hydroxyl groups (OH), resulting in the formation of an alcohol.
3. Stereochemistry: The hydroboration-oxidation reaction is highly stereospecific, leading to the formation of the anti-Markovnikov product. In this case, the alcohol is formed at the less substituted carbon, resulting in 2-methylpentanol.
Structures:

1-methylcyclopentene
BH3-THF
2-methylpentanol
Please note that the exact reaction mechanism with the structures can be visualized using online chemistry drawing tools or textbook resources.