Which of the following compounds will form the most stable conjugate base upon deprotonation? — GOC and Organic Chemistry Basics Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The stability of the alkoxide anion formed after deprotonation is directly proportional to the electron-withdrawing ($-I$) power of the substituents. Fluorine is the most electronegative halogen, so the $-CF_3$ group exerts the strongest $-I$ effect, dispersing the negative charge and stabilizing the conjugate base maximally.