Rearrangement Reaction
A reaction in which the atoms of a molecule are reorganised to give a structural isomer.
Formula / equation
A → A′ (isomer)
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Rearrangements are driven by the formation of a more stable intermediate or product, most often through a 1,2-shift of hydrogen or an alkyl group to a carbocation. They explain many unexpected products in substitution and elimination and are a hallmark of carbocation-based mechanisms.
Examples in the real world
A secondary carbocation shifting a methyl group to become tertiary during the hydration of an alkene.