See image — Haloalkanes and Haloarenes Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1 - Evaluate Statement-1: In polar protic solvents, nucleophilicity of halide ions follows the order I- > Br- > Cl- > F-. This is because polar protic solvents stabilize smaller, more charge-dense ions more effectively through hydrogen bonding (solvation). F- is the smallest and most heavily solvated, making it the poorest nucleophile; I- is the largest and least solvated, making it the best nucleophile. Therefore, the stated order I- < Br- < Cl- < F- is actually the CORRECT order for nucleophilicity in polar protic solvents. Hence Statement-1 is TRUE. Step 2 - Evaluate Statement-2: Statement-2 claims that due to the bigger size of I-, it is LESS solvated in polar protic solvent. This is actually the opposite of the truth. Larger ions like I- are indeed less solvated (less strongly hydrogen-bonded) compared to smaller ions like F-, but this LESS solvation of I- means I- retains more of its nucleophilic character and is therefore a BETTER nucleophile - not a worse one. More critically, Statement-2 as written implies that less solvation of I- would make it less nucleophilic, which contradicts the actual chemistry. Furthermore, Statement-2 says I- is less solvated due to bigger size - while it is true that bigger ions are less solvated per unit charge, this fact actually makes I- MORE nucleophilic, not less. The statement's reasoning is internally inconsistent with the order given in Statement-1. Actually, re-examining: Statement-2 says I- is less solvated due to bigger size. This factual claim is TRUE (larger ions are less solvated). However, if I- is less solvated, it should be MORE nucleophilic, meaning it cannot support the order in Statement-1 (which shows I- as least nucleophilic). Wait - Statement-1 states I- < Br- < Cl- < F-, meaning F- is most nucleophilic. This is actually WRONG for polar protic solvents; the correct order is I- > Br- > Cl- > F-. So Statement-1 is FALSE. Step 3 - Re-evaluation: The correct nucleophilicity order in polar protic solvents is I- > Br- > Cl- > F- (I- is the best nucleophile). Statement-1 gives the reverse order (I- < Br- < Cl- < F-), which is the order for polar APROTIC solvents or the order of basicity/charge density. Therefore Statement-1 is FALSE. Statement-2 states that I- is less solvated due to bigger size. This is TRUE - larger ions have lower charge density and are less effectively solvated by polar protic solvents via hydrogen bonding. Step 4 - Match to options: Statement-1 is false, Statement-2 is true → this corresponds to option (d). Why other options fail: (a) and (b) require Statement-1 to be true, but it is false. (c) requires Statement-2 to be false, but it is true. Therefore, the correct answer is D.