Out of chlorobenzene and benzyl chloride, which one gets easily hydrolysed by aqueous NaOH and why ?

Benzyl chloride will get easily hydrolysed as the halogen is attached to 1° carbon atom.


Benzyl chloride can undergo SN1- SN1 mechanism easily to form benzyl carbonium ion. Benzyl carbonium ion found after losing the leaving group(-Cl) is very stable because of resonance hence reacts easily. It is the most stable carbocation. So the final answer is“ Benzyl chloride is more easily hydrolysed by aqueous NaOH than that of chlorobenzene. ”


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