Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
banner

Most reactive halide towards substitution nucleophilic unimolecular reaction is
A. n-butyl chloride
B. Sec-butyl chloride
C. Tert-butyl chloride
D. Allyl chloride

Answer
VerifiedVerified
300.9k+ views
Hint: Nucleophilic substitution reactions are the reactions in which an electron-rich nucleophile displaces a functional group forming an electron-deficient molecule or electrophile. Nucleophilic substitution unimolecular has only one species in the rate-determining step.

Complete Step by Step Solution:
An example of a unimolecular substitution reaction is the hydrolysis of 2-bromobutane.

Step-1: Ionisation of 2-bromobutane to form a carbocation intermediate.
168飞艇 7437064cc77d43ee5d7eb7d5ece5d67d
Image: Formation of carbocation

Step 2: Attack by the nucleophile on the carbocation forming the product.
168飞艇 f5f4cc4b24d5f5f79f8dc349f90120f5
Image: Attack of the nucleophile on the carbocation.

We see that the first step of the reaction is the slow and rate-determining step.
So, the rate of the reaction will depend on the formation of a stable carbocation.

The order of stability of carbocation is Benzyl, alkyl>Tertiary>secondary>primary

A. n-butyl chloride
168飞艇 05fd9abf0990ca1e76ebd26d5029ba33
Image: n-butyl chloride

This is a primary halide and its ionisation will form a primary carbocation.
This is unstable due to the negative charge on the carbon atom.
So, it will not react to unimolecular substitution reactions.

B. Sec-butyl chloride
168飞艇 da29e6aeb68ae7e9e19d6d4a7b8af211
Image: sec-butyl chloride

This is a secondary halide; its ionisation will form a secondary carbocation.
This is more stable than primary halide due to the presence of an electron-donating methyl group which moderately stabilises the negative charge on the carbon atoms. It reacts through a unimolecular substitution reaction.

C. Tert-butyl chloride.
168飞艇 2d26e88c43399784b645764cf03222c2
Image: tert-butyl chloride

This is a tertiary halide; its ionisation will form a tert-butyl carbocation.
This carbocation is stable due to the presence of three electron-donating methyl groups which reduces the negative charge of the carbon atom.
168飞艇 8fbe4c100fe8b1ebf086b4cf5fac9359
Image: Formation of tert-butyl carbocation

This will react by a unimolecular substitution reaction mechanism.

D. Allyl chloride
168飞艇 2182e940edba28cfc8edd65bb1a57a27
Image: Allyl chloride

Allyl chloride on ionization will form allyl carbocation.
This carbocation is highly stable than secondary and tertiary carbocation due to equivalent resonance.
168飞艇 df816a0256fc5b0ad031741b7758d1ee
Image: Resonance in allyl carbocation

So, this halide is highly reactive to the unimolecular substitution reaction.

So, option D is correct.

Note: While attending to the question, one has to find the option which will form the most stable carbocation. In this question, sec-butyl chloride and tert-butyl chloride both can react by unimolecular nucleophilic substitution. Out of the given options, allyl chloride due to its most stable carbocation will be most reactive towards unimolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction.