Hi all! Basically, we did an experiment titled: Wittig Reaction of trans-cinnamaldehyde The objective for this experiment was to prepare the diene (1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene) and determine if the diene is (E,E) or (E,Z) using the melting point of it. Now I already did this and based on the melting point of the final purified diene its stereochemistry is (E,E)
Heres the overall chemical equation for the lab:https://imgur.com/36rk9J4Its asking me to provide an explanation for why the particular steorechemistry (E,E) or (E,Z) is obtained here. But i don't know if the way I'm approach that question is correct... For example is this mentioning specific steps we did in the experiment that could have resulted in a certain stereo chemistry or this more towards the reaction it self. For example since we used trans isomer of cinnamaldehyde this gona tell me that geometry of one double bond of the diene product is gona be trans. However, Geometery of second double bond formed in reaction gona be either cis or trans which means its gona be either (E,E) or (E,Z)-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene. And we gona know the geometery of the second double bond based off melting point of our product compared to the literature melting point of the (E,E) or (E,Z) isomer or what you guys think? Should I approach this question in a different way?