The hydrolysis of 1-bromopropane to form propanol through a nucleophilic substitution reaction involves the following mechanism:1. Nucleophile attack:In this reaction, the nucleophile is a hydroxide ion OH- from water or a strong base like sodium hydroxide NaOH . The hydroxide ion attacks the electrophilic carbon atom C1 of 1-bromopropane, which is bonded to the bromine atom. This carbon atom is electrophilic because the bromine atom is more electronegative than carbon, resulting in a partial positive charge on the carbon atom.2. Transition state formation:As the nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbon, a transition state is formed in which the carbon atom is partially bonded to both the hydroxide ion and the bromine atom. The transition state is a high-energy state, and its formation is the rate-determining step of the reaction.3. Leaving group departure:The bromine atom, acting as a leaving group, departs from the carbon atom, taking its bonding electrons with it. This results in the formation of a bromide ion Br- and a new bond between the carbon atom and the hydroxide ion.4. Product formation:The final product, propanol, is formed as a result of the new bond between the carbon atom and the hydroxide ion.The rate of this nucleophilic substitution reaction is determined by several electronic and structural factors:1. Electronegativity of the leaving group:A good leaving group is one that can stabilize the negative charge after departing from the carbon atom. In this case, bromine is a good leaving group due to its high electronegativity and large size, which allows it to better stabilize the negative charge.2. Nucleophilicity of the attacking species:The nucleophilicity of the hydroxide ion OH- plays a crucial role in the rate of the reaction. A strong nucleophile, like the hydroxide ion, will increase the rate of the reaction as it can readily donate its lone pair of electrons to the electrophilic carbon atom.3. Steric hindrance:1-bromopropane is a primary alkyl halide, meaning that the electrophilic carbon atom is only attached to one other carbon atom. This results in less steric hindrance around the electrophilic carbon, allowing the nucleophile to attack more easily and increasing the rate of the reaction.4. Solvent effects:The choice of solvent can also impact the rate of the reaction. Polar protic solvents, like water, can stabilize the transition state through hydrogen bonding, which lowers the activation energy and increases the rate of the reaction.