When 2 -bromo- 2 -methylbutane is heated with alcoholic potassium hydroxide, which of the following is formed as the major product?

Step-by-step solution

The structure of 2 -bromo- 2 -methylbutane is CH₃-C(Br)(CH₃)-CH₂-CH₃ . When heated with alcoholic potassium hydroxide (alc. KOH ), it undergoes dehydrohalogenation ( E2 elimination). The elimination of a proton can occur from two different -carbons: 1. Removal of a proton from the terminal methyl group ( C₁ ) gives 2 -methylbut- 1 -ene, which is a disubstituted alkene. 2. Removal of a proton from the methylene group ( C₃ ) gives 2 -methylbut- 2 -ene, which is a trisubstituted alkene. According to Saytzeff's rule, t