Heroin is 3, 6-diacetylmorphine. Heroin is 2-3 times more potent than morphine. Heroin rapidly metabolizes to 6-acetylmorphine.

1. Heroin is 3, 6-diacetylmorphine. Heroin is 2-3 times more potent than morphine.

Heroin rapidly metabolizes to 6-acetylmorphine. Explain why Heroin preferentially metabolizes to 6-acetylmorphine instead of 3-acetylmorphine.

Hint: What are the acidic pKa values of the respective hydroxyl products? Look up the structures on the internet or use the UF library online e-journals.

2. The Claisen-Schmidt type reaction is a variant of the aldol condensation and an example of an addition-elimination where carbon acids function as nucleophiles reacting with unsaturated carbon centered electrophiles. Consider the acid catalyzed reaction of the two reactants below. Describe the mechanism and products of such a reaction.

(CH3)3C-C()-CH2 + C6C5