I had the following question at an exam:
What is the fastest reacting compound towards nucleophilic addition with Grignard reagent?
(a) Acyl chloride
(b) Aldehyde
(c) Ester
It is obvious that ester would be the slowest, but among acyl chloride and aldehyde, acyl chloride would have a highly electrophilic, but a bit sterically hindered carbon atom and the resonance will also decrease the electrophilicity, whereas the aldehyde will have a less sterically hindered and moderately electrophilic carbon atom.
Which one will prevail and how to judge?
What would happen if instead acyl chloride there were acyl bromide?
?
see Is it ever correct to have a space before a question or exclamation mark?. $\endgroup$