Which of the following statements regarding the S_N1 reaction shown by an alkyl halide is not correct?

JEE Main Chemistry question

Which of the following statements regarding the reaction shown by an alkyl halide is not correct?

(A)The added nucleophile plays no kinetic role in the reaction.
(B)The reaction involves inversion of configuration of the optically active substrate.Correct
(C)The reaction on a chiral starting material ends up with racemisation of the product.
(D)The more stable the carbocation intermediate, the faster the reaction.

Answer: (B)

Solution

In the mechanism, the rate-determining step is unimolecular ionisation of the substrate to form a planar carbocation; the nucleophile is not involved in this slow step, so it has no kinetic role and its concentration does not affect the rate (statement A is correct). Because the resulting carbocation is planar

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Question ID VK-148066