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JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3ap144

Assertion (A): tert-Butyl phenyl ether reacts with one equivalent of to give phenol and 2-iodo-2-methylpropane. Reason (R): Cleavage of aryl alkyl ethers by always occurs by SN2 attack of iodide at the alkyl carbon.

  1. ABoth A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
  2. BBoth A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
  3. CA is true but R is false
  4. DA is false but R is true

Answer: C

Protonation of the ether oxygen is followed by loss of the stable tert-butyl cation (SN1), which captures iodide, so A is true and phenol is the other product. R is false because with a tertiary alkyl group the mechanism is SN1, not SN2 (SN2 is observed for methyl/primary alkyl groups).
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