Question detail

What happens during the formation of a carbocation in electrophilic addition?

Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.

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At a glance

MCQ

Type

practice

Style

Topic

Alkenes

Question

A. A double bond is broken and a hydrogen atom is added.
B. A single bond is formed and a hydrogen atom is removed.
C. A double bond is formed and a carbon atom is removed.
D. A single bond is broken and a hydroxyl group is added.

Answer

A double bond is broken and a hydrogen atom is added.

Explanation

In electrophilic addition, the double bond of the alkene reacts with an electrophile, leading to the formation of a carbocation as one of the pi bonds is broken and a hydrogen atom is added to the carbon atom.

Common mistake

Misunderstanding Carbocation Stability

Students often confuse the stability of carbocations, thinking that all carbocations are equally stable regardless of their structure.

To explain carbocation stability, remember that tertiary carbocations are more stable than secondary, which are more stable than primary. This is due to the inductive effect and hyperconjugation from surrounding alkyl groups. For example, a tertiary carbocation (R3C+) is stabilized by three alkyl groups donating electron density, while a primary carbocation (RCH2+) is only stabilized by one. Thus, when predicting the major product of an electrophilic addition reaction, consider the stability of the carbocation formed during the reaction.

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