Tertiary alkyl halides undergo SN₁ reactions more rapidly due to the higher stability of the resulting tertiary carbocations, making their formation easier and the reaction faster.
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Tertiary alkyl halides undergo SN₁ reactions more rapidly due to the higher stability of the resulting tertiary carbocations, making their formation easier and the reaction faster.
Tertiary alkyl halides undergo SN₁ reactions more rapidly than primary or secondary alkyl halides due to increased carbocation stability. In SN₁ reactions, the alkyl halide initially forms a carbocation intermediate. Tertiary carbocations, with three alkyl substituents, are more stable than secondary or primary carbocations because of hyperconjugation and increased inductive effects. The surrounding alkyl groups donate electron density to stabilize the positive charge on the carbocation. This heightened stability lowers the activation energy, making the reaction proceed more rapidly. The enhanced stability of tertiary carbocations favors the SN₁ pathway for tertiary alkyl halides.