Electrophilic addition in alkenes (2) – the bromine water test

The classic test for an alkene is to shake your sample with orange bromine water, and if the molecule contains a C=C double bond the bromine water is decolonized. A chemical reaction has clearly occurred, but could you draw out the mechanism?

CH2CHCH3 + Br2(aq) ⇾ CH2BrCHOHCH3 + Br(aq) + H3O+(aq)

If we want a dibromo-product we need to change the conditions of the reaction, with bromine dissolved in an organic solvent at room temperature.

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