The rate of an SN₁ reaction is determined by the concentration of the alkyl halide, as the reaction occurs in two steps, with the slowest step being the cleavage of the polarized C–Br bond.
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The rate of an SN₁ (unimolecular nucleophilic substitution) reaction is primarily determined by the formation of a stable carbocation intermediate. The leaving group departs, creating a carbocation, and the stability of this intermediate profoundly influences the reaction rate. More stable carbocations, which arise from highly substituted carbon centers, result in faster SN₁ reactions. The reaction rate is also influenced by the strength of the leaving group and solvent effects. The nucleophile’s role becomes crucial in the subsequent step, but the initial rate-determining step involves the departure of the leaving group and the formation of the carbocation intermediate.