A solution of KOH hydrolyses CH3CHClCH2CH3 and CH3CH2CH2CH2Cl. Which one of these is more easily hydrolysed?

The ease of hydrolysis of organic compounds by KOH (potassium hydroxide) depends on several factors, including the nature of the functional group and the structure of the molecule.In this case, both compounds, CH3CHClCH2CH3 and CH3CH2CH2CH2Cl, are alkyl halides. Alkyl halides can undergo hydrolysis in the presence of a strong base like KOH to form alcohols.The ease of hydrolysis can be determined by looking at the reactivity of the alkyl halides. Generally, primary alkyl halides (like CH3CH2CH2CH2Cl) are more reactive towards nucleophilic substitution reactions (including hydrolysis) compared to secondary alkyl halides (like CH3CHClCH2CH3). This is due to the fact that in primary alkyl halides, the carbon atom bonded to the halogen is less hindered, making it more susceptible to nucleophilic attack.Therefore, CH3CH2CH2CH2Cl (1-chlorobutane), being a primary alkyl halide, is more easily hydrolyzed compared to CH3CHClCH2CH3 (2-chloropropane), which is a secondary alkyl halide. read less