What is the rate limiting step in the following reaction?

Updated: Jun 25, 2023

What is the rate limiting step in the following reaction?
 

Solution: The substrate is tertiary (chlorine is attached to the carbon which is attached to three other carbons). The nucleophile is weak (water). Therefore, we have an SN1 reaction.

In SN1 reaction, the step where the leaving group leaves forming a carbocation is the rate liming step. Choice A must be the correct answer.

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