Question

Which of the following is the major product for the given reaction?

Answer 1

The major product for the given reaction is 2-bromo-2-methylpropane.

Answer 2

The given reaction is a free radical bromination of isobutane. Isobutane has 9 primary hydrogens and 1 tertiary hydrogen. Free radical bromination is highly selective, favoring the abstraction of tertiary hydrogens over primary hydrogens due to the greater stability of the resulting tertiary radical (3° > 2° > 1°). Therefore, the bromine atom will preferentially substitute the hydrogen on the tertiary carbon, leading to 2-bromo-2-methylpropane as the major product.