That was the key. His previous attempts had assumed kinetic control. He erased three pages of work. His fingers cramped. He redrew the transition state, this time accounting for the bulky base mentioned in the hint.
The molecule in question was a substituted cyclohexane with three chiral centers. In the book’s world, known as The Labyrinth , molecules were not just structures; they were riddles. Every chapter was a fortress: GOC (General Organic Chemistry) was the gatehouse, where inductive and mesomeric effects threw spears at careless students. Hydrocarbons was a dragon’s den of Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov fire. organic chemistry m s chauhan
He checked the answer. Page 389, entry 47(c). His product matched. That was the key