stepwise unimolecular elimination

A stepwise, unimolecular elimination reaction is a type of organic chemical reaction where two atoms or groups are removed from a molecule, typically forming an unsaturated compound. In this specific mechanism, a carbonium ion is formed first. This intermediate then loses a proton, resulting in the elimination. This process is often seen alongside nucleophilic substitutions and is favored by electron-donating groups that stabilize the carbonium ion. The proton loss generally leads to the most stable product among the possible alternatives.12