The role of electronic and steric effects in the stereospecific trans-addition of the elements of hypobromous acid (HOBr) to a selected group of olefins, with moist dimethyl sulphoxide as solvent-reactant and N-bromosuccinimide as the source of bromine, has been examined. In the absence of severe steric restrictions, the electronic effects have been observed to direct the addition in a Markownikoff sense. Highly hindered olefins and those wherein the ...
