Question

When benzene is treated with 2-methylpropene and sulfuric acid, the product obtained is tert-butylbenzene. Propose a mechanism for this transformation. For the mechanism, draw the curved arrows as needed. Include lone pairs and charges in your answer.

Answer 1

See explanation and image attached

Step-by-step explanation:

This reaction begins when the pi bond in 2-methylpropene is attacked by a proton. A tertiary carbocation is formed which now may attack a benzene ring in an electrophilic reaction. A tertiary carbocation is very stable.

The electrophilic attack of the tertiary carbocation yields the final product tert-butylbenzene as shown in the image attached.