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JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3o4219

Which alcohol is dehydrated most rapidly by dilute acid at the same temperature?

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D

Answer: B

The rate-limiting step forms a carbocation, so the fastest dehydration is the one giving the most stable cation. The triphenylmethyl cation is stabilised by resonance over three rings, more than the tert-butyl cation (hyperconjugation), then and then ethyl.
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