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The reaction between 2-bromo-2-methylpropane and hydroxide ions occurs in two steps - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 2 - 2012 - Paper 1
Question 2
The reaction between 2-bromo-2-methylpropane and hydroxide ions occurs in two steps. step 1: $(CH_3)_2CBr(aq) \rightarrow (CH_3)_2C^+(aq) + Br^-(aq)$ step 2: $... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The reaction between 2-bromo-2-methylpropane and hydroxide ions occurs in two steps - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 2 - 2012 - Paper 1
Step 1
Step 2
b. i. Which step involves an endothermic reaction? Provide a reason for your answer.
Answer
Step 1 involves an endothermic reaction because it requires energy to break the bonds between the reactants, resulting in the formation of a carbocation intermediate, which is higher in energy than the original reactants.
Step 3
b. ii. Which step is slower? Justify your answer.
Answer
Step 1 is the slower step. This is because it involves the formation of a carbocation, which is a high-energy intermediate. The activation energy required to reach this transition state is greater than that needed for step 2, which proceeds more directly to form the product.