Why are addition reactions of alkenes exothermic?

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Why are addition reactions of alkenes exothermic?

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Answer 1 · 2016-08-21T10:21:40

Well, you are making #"carbon-carbon"# or #"carbon-heteroatom"# bonds, and given this it is inevitably exothermic.

Explanation:

It is generally observed that bond formation is exothermic, and bond-breaking is endothermic. Olefin reactions generally involve the formation of #2xxC-X# bonds of some sort. Of course, we must break an #X-X# bond of some sort, but formation of #2xxC-X# bonds is energetically downhill.

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Why are addition reactions of alkenes exothermic?

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