Question

Departure of a leaving group by Sn1 process from a benzylic position leads to the formation of a _______.

A) Carbocation
B) Carbanion
C) Radical
D) Complex

Answer 1

In an Sn1 reaction at a benzylic position, a leaving group's departure results in the formation of a stabilized carbocation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The departure of a leaving group by an Sn1 process from a benzylic position leads to the formation of a carbocation. In the Sn1 reaction mechanism, the leaving group departs to form a stable carbocation intermediary. This intermediary is then free to react with a nucleophile, completing the substitution reaction. The benzylic position is particularly conducive to carbocation formation because the adjacent aromatic ring can stabilize the positive charge through resonance stabilization.