Question

Carbocations, which contain a trivalent, positively charged carbon atom, react with water to give alcohols:

How can your account for the fact that the following carbocation gives a mixture of two alcohols in reaction with water?

Short answer

Due to electronic displacement of 𝛑 bond

Step-by-step solution

Definition of Resonance

The structure which can be formed by the displacement of𝛑bonds is known as resonance structures.

Resonance forms

These are the two structures that are present in the reaction mixture.

Formation of two alcohols

Attack of nucleophile water on given carbocation led to the formation of the alcohol

Formation of two alcohols

Explanation of the fact

Due to the presence of the resonance structure on the given compound, it leads to the formation of two alcohols.