Same chapter3 marksDifficulty: Medium
What is meant by an ambident nucleophile? Illustrate with the cyanide ion.
Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
3 marksDifficulty: Medium
Distinguish between the SN1 and SN2 mechanisms of nucleophilic substitution.
Original Khojo Papers practice question — not from a past board paper.
Answer
The SN1 mechanism has two steps, the slow ionisation of the substrate to a carbocation followed by rapid attack by the nucleophile; its rate depends only on the substrate, and a racemic mixture is produced. The SN2 mechanism is a single step in which the nucleophile attacks as the leaving group departs; the rate depends on both reactants and the configuration is inverted.
No citable source has been recorded for this record. Treat it as practice material, not as fact.
Explanation
Tertiary halides react mainly by SN1 and primary halides mainly by SN2.
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