Given below are two statements : Statement (I) : Benzyl chloride reacts faster in S_N1 mechanism than ethyl chloride. Statement (II) : Ethyl carbocation intermediate is less stabilized by hyperconjugation than benzyl carbocation by resonance. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below :

Step-by-step solution

The rate of S_N1 reaction depends on the stability of the carbocation intermediate formed during the rate-determining step. Benzyl chloride undergoes ionization to form a benzyl carbocation ( C₆H₅CH₂^+ ), whereas ethyl chloride forms an ethyl carbocation ( CH₃CH₂^+ ). The benzyl carbocation is highly stabilized by the delocalization of the positive charge over the benzene ring through resonance. On the other hand, the ethyl carbocation is stabilized only by hyperconjugation involving three -hydrogens. Since resonan