Consider the chemical reaction shown in the given figure. Which of the following correctly identifies the major products P and Q?

Step-by-step solution

The given reaction is the cleavage of tert-butyl phenyl ether by hydroiodic acid (HI). First, the ether oxygen is protonated by HI to form an oxonium ion. The cleavage of the C-O bond can occur in two ways. However, the C-O bond between the phenyl ring and the oxygen atom has partial double bond character due to resonance, making it stronger and difficult to break. Furthermore, cleavage of the C-O bond between the tert-butyl group and the oxygen atom results in the formation of a highly stable tert-butyl carbocatio