What is the major product of the reaction shown below?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The reactant is a tertiary alcohol with a leaving group (tosylate). Under acidic conditions, the alcohol will be protonated, making it a better leaving group. The tosylate will leave, forming a carbocation intermediate. Since the intermediate is tertiary, it will preferentially undergo rearrangement to form a more stable carbocation. The methyl group will shift to the adjacent carbon, forming a more stable secondary carbocation. Br- will then attack the carbocation, forming the major product, which is 2-bromo-2-methylbutane. Choice B is the correct structure for this product.

What Is the Major Product of the Reaction Shown Below