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NEET levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 1 of 3o3008

The carbocation intermediate formed in an SN1 reaction is best described as

  1. Apyramidal, with an sp hybridised cationic carbon
  2. Blinear, with an sp hybridised cationic carbon
  3. Cplanar, with an sp hybridised cationic carbon bearing an empty p orbital
  4. Dtetrahedral, with a lone pair on the cationic carbon

Answer: C

A carbocation has only three bonds and six valence electrons around the cationic carbon. The three sigma bonds lie in one plane (sp2) and the vacant p orbital is perpendicular to this plane, which is why the nucleophile can attack from either face.
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