Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
We cover the complete reaction mechanism for E2 (biomolecular elimination) in organic chemistry: mechanism, Zaitsev's Rule for determining major products, when Zaitsev's Rule FAILS (Hofmann Elimination), and tricky cases like cyclic structures and choosing the major product between a pair of cis/trans isomers. (Zaitsev's Rule is also called Zaytsev's Rule, Saytzeff's Rule, or Saytzev's Rule.)
📘Master the Mechanisms! Grab the Organic Chemistry Reaction Mechanisms Survival Guide: payhip.com/b/rYbBp
🧠Full Mechanisms Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMtvqt_IBtezyBX_kk447pxZ
🍵Buy the Professor a tea to keep the videos coming: patreon.com/c/ChemistryinaNutshell
🧬If you need a refresher on chirality for mechanisms to make sense, start here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMupOdw1Wgy8YauiQ40J_5nx
⚗️For all of my ochem videos in one place: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMuKRkW9gDV7vlAk4Y9WRU7c
🥼If you need to take the MCAT: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMuJZI5IVWO8X0syBANn-YqY
🥽As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
🥼Need a molecular model kit or other chem supplies? amazon.com/shop/chemnut?ccs_id=11f20bce-5f74-427b-85fb-bdf66849405a
🔬Start any shopping journey here: amzn.to/3IXuAcS
0:00 Bimolecular Elimination Reactions
0:25 E2 Overall Equation
1:45 E2 Generic Pattern
4:29 Symmetrical (Easier) Example
6:42 Zaitsev's Rule Example
9:53 Hofmann Elimination (4 Exceptions to Zaitsev's Rule)
10:16 1 Conjugated Double Bond Systems
11:35 2 Bulky Bases
12:17 3 Leaving Group is too Basic
13:31 Fluorides...
13:54 4 Anti- & Syn-
16:42 Cyclic Systems
20:51 cis- vs trans- Major & Minor Products
21:31 Newman Projection Leading to Major Product
22:28 Newman Projection Leading to Minor Product
22:58 Why these lead to major vs minor
24:23 Newman Projections You Can Ignore
25:26 & when you can't ignore
Citations:
Paula Yurkanis Bruice, "Organic Chemistry" 8th ed
Chapter 9, base reactivity data from table 9.5
openstax.org/details/books/organic-chemistry
openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e
Music: youtu.be/lL6AsbG07xY
We cover the complete reaction mechanism for E2 (biomolecular elimination) in organic chemistry: mechanism, Zaitsev's Rule for determining major products, when Zaitsev's Rule FAILS (Hofmann Elimination), and tricky cases like cyclic structures and choosing the major product between a pair of cis/trans isomers. (Zaitsev's Rule is also called Zaytsev's Rule, Saytzeff's Rule, or Saytzev's Rule.)
📘Master the Mechanisms! Grab the Organic Chemistry Reaction Mechanisms Survival Guide: payhip.com/b/rYbBp
🧠Full Mechanisms Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMtvqt_IBtezyBX_kk447pxZ
🍵Buy the Professor a tea to keep the videos coming: patreon.com/c/ChemistryinaNutshell
🧬If you need a refresher on chirality for mechanisms to make sense, start here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMupOdw1Wgy8YauiQ40J_5nx
⚗️For all of my ochem videos in one place: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMuKRkW9gDV7vlAk4Y9WRU7c
🥼If you need to take the MCAT: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUW25kBaMMuJZI5IVWO8X0syBANn-YqY
🥽As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
🥼Need a molecular model kit or other chem supplies? amazon.com/shop/chemnut?ccs_id=11f20bce-5f74-427b-85fb-bdf66849405a
🔬Start any shopping journey here: amzn.to/3IXuAcS
0:00 Bimolecular Elimination Reactions
0:25 E2 Overall Equation
1:45 E2 Generic Pattern
4:29 Symmetrical (Easier) Example
6:42 Zaitsev's Rule Example
9:53 Hofmann Elimination (4 Exceptions to Zaitsev's Rule)
10:16 1 Conjugated Double Bond Systems
11:35 2 Bulky Bases
12:17 3 Leaving Group is too Basic
13:31 Fluorides...
13:54 4 Anti- & Syn-
16:42 Cyclic Systems
20:51 cis- vs trans- Major & Minor Products
21:31 Newman Projection Leading to Major Product
22:28 Newman Projection Leading to Minor Product
22:58 Why these lead to major vs minor
24:23 Newman Projections You Can Ignore
25:26 & when you can't ignore
Citations:
Paula Yurkanis Bruice, "Organic Chemistry" 8th ed
Chapter 9, base reactivity data from table 9.5
openstax.org/details/books/organic-chemistry
openstax.org/details/books/chemistry-2e
Music: youtu.be/lL6AsbG07xY
