Arrange the following compounds in decreasing order of their rate of solvolysis: (I) (II) (III)

Step-by-step solution

The solvolysis of anti-7-norbornenyl chlorides proceeds via neighboring group participation (NGP) by the -electrons of the double bond, leading to the formation of a stabilized non-classical carbocation. The rate of solvolysis is directly proportional to the electron density of the double bond. A higher electron density increases the nucleophilicity of the -bond, which facilitates NGP and stabilizes the intermediate non-classical carbocation. In compound (III), the two methyl groups attached to the double bond are