Final answer:
An SN1 reaction product includes the formation of a racemic mixture when occurring on a chiral carbon and typically involves tertiary alkyl halides that form a stable carbocation intermediate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking to draw the product of an SN1 reaction. In an SN1 reaction, the mechanism involves a two-step process with the formation of a carbocation intermediate. This intermediate is planar and can be approached by nucleophiles from either side leading to the formation of a racemic mixture when the reactant is chiral. Essentially, if the original carbon was asymmetric, you would end up with a 50% mix of both enantiomers. Typically, tertiary alkyl halides are suitable for SN1 reactions due to their ability to stabilize the carbocation intermediate. An example of an SN1 reaction would be the reaction of tert-butyl alcohol with hydrobromic acid to form tert-butyl bromide and water:
(CH3)3COH + HBr → (CH3)3C-Br + H2O
Here, the tert-butyl alcohol first forms a carbocation by losing a water molecule, and then the bromide ion attacks the planar carbocation leading to the formation of tert-butyl bromide. Note that since the reacting carbon is not chiral in this case, no racemic mixture is formed. However, if the alcohol had been chiral, two different products would have been expected as racemic mixtures.