The compound (CH3)3CBr is classified as
Correct answer: C. a tertiary alkyl halide
- A. a primary alkyl halide
- B. a secondary alkyl halide
- C. a tertiary alkyl halide
- D. an aryl halide
Explanation
The carbon carrying the bromine is attached to three other carbon atoms, which makes it tertiary, whereas a primary carbon is attached to one and a secondary to two. This classification matters because tertiary halides react overwhelmingly by the SN1 route while primary halides prefer SN2. An aryl halide would have the halogen attached directly to a benzene ring.
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About Nomenclature, Structure and Reactivity
Alkyl halides are named by selecting the longest carbon chain and locating the halogen substituent, while their structures are classified as primary, secondary or tertiary. Their reactivity includes nucleophilic substitution and elimination, with the behaviour of leaving groups and the distinction between SN1 and SN2 mechanisms linked to substrate structure.
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