MDCAT Chemistry MCQ #654

How do polar protic solvents, such as a water-alcohol mixture, affect the rate of an SN1 reaction of a tertiary alkyl halide?

MDCAT Chemistry MCQ #654

  1. Question 1

    Q1. How do polar protic solvents, such as a water-alcohol mixture, affect the rate of an SN1 reaction of a tertiary alkyl halide?

    • A) They slow the reaction by solvating the nucleophile
    • B) They accelerate the reaction by stabilizing the carbocation
    • C) They have no effect on the rate-determining step
    • D) They force the reaction into an E2 pathway

    Answer: They accelerate the reaction by stabilizing the carbocation

    Explanation: Polar protic solvents stabilize the carbocation and leaving group, accelerating SN1; aprotic solvents are wrong because they favor the SN2 pathway.