Why do tertiary and secondary alcohols reacts by an sn1 reaction and primary alcohols by sn2?
The SN1 reaction is a substitution reaction in organic chemistry. The 1 represents the fact that the rate-determining step is unimolecular.The reaction involves a carbocation intermediate and is commonly seen in reactions of secondary or tertiary alkyl halides under strongly basic conditions or, under strongly acidic conditions, with secondary or tertiary alcohols.
