Dr. Sereda, Im a little lost on the reaction of anhydrides part, I know you covered it in class today, but could you maybe skim over it again please? (The leaving group is acetate, and the reaction does not produce a strong acid, so does not require an external amine to neutralize it. For cyclic anhydrides, the flavor of the reaction is that the “leaving group” leaves the reaction center, but stays a part of the molecule, to which it is tethered. - GS).