When basicity and/or steric effects outweigh nucleophilicity, and a good leaving group (LG) is present, we observe elimination chemistry leading to olefins (alkenes) instead of substitution. The E2 reaction (elimination bimolecular) takes place via a concerted mechanism, and involves an antiperiplanar alignment of orbitals – proton and LG lined up across from one another however in the same plane. Continue reading →