5a) Give one example each of primary, secondary and tertiary alkyl halides.

(Aqilah)
Primary alkyl halides : Fluoroethane
CH3 - CH2 - F
Secondary alkyl halides : 2-Bromobutane
CH3 - CH2 - CH - CH3
I
Br
Tertiary alkyl halides : 2-Bromo-2-methylpropane
CH3
I
H3C - C - CH3
I
Br
5b) State two differences between SN1 and SN2 reactions. (Sonia)
- SN1 is a two step process while SN2 is only a one step process
- During SN1 reactions the carbocations will form as an intermediate, but SN2 will
have no carbocations.

5c) Does the following compound undergoes SN1 or SN2 reaction. Explain why.
(Roanna)

- The compound undergoes SN2 reaction because the compound is a primary

structure.
- Because it is a primary structure, it is less crowded, less groups are around the
vicinity of the alkyl (leaving group), therefore, the reaction will be faster
- It will undergo the SN2 pathway where the nucleophile would remove the Br into
the isomer
5d) (CH3)2C3H7CBr reacts with OH- to form (CH3)2C3H7COH.
The rate equation for the reaction is Rate = k[(CH 3)2C3H7CBr]
Which of the following steps are the rate-determining steps? Explain why.
(Bengene)

Step 1: (CH3)2C3H7CBr → (CH3)2C3H7C + Br-

Step 2: (CH3)2C3H7 C + OH- → (CH3)2C3H7COH

It is a tertiary alkyl halide and the overall order is 1

, thus it is SN1.
Step 1. Is the rate-determining step.

As step 1 involves on the breaking of the C-Br bond to form a carbocation intermediate,
while the second step involves the attacking of the nucleophile on the carbo-cation.

Step 1 is considered the slow step as energy is needed to break the C-Br bond, hence it
is harder and requires higher activation energy to proceed, whereas step 2 is the fast
step as a bond is formed so energy is released.