Question

An alkyl halide may be converted into alcohol by ............... reaction

• A. electrophilic substitution
• B. elimination reaction
• C. nucleophilic substitution
• D. none of these

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

nucleophilic substitution

Alkyl halides are saturated molecules and will therefore undergo only substitution reactions. The C-halogen bond is polarised due to the higher electronegativity of halogen, the halogen atom acquires a little excess electron density while the carbon becomes electron deficient and constitutes an electrophilic centre. Any reagent that is nucleophilic in nature will seek this electron deficient carbon and form a bond resulting in substitution of halogen. Thus many reactions of alkyl halides are nucleophilic substitution reactions.