Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Walden
inversion
:
The
inversion
of
stereochemical configuration
at a
stereocenter
during a chemical reaction.
In the
S
N
2
reaction between iodide
ion
and (
S
)-2-chloro
butane
,
backside attack
by the
nucleophile
causes Walden
inversion
. The
product
is (
R
)-2-iodo
butane
.
Related terms:
Retention of configuration
,
substitution reaction
,
leaving group
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