Which statement is true regarding haloalkanes and hydrolysis rates?

The statement that the weaker the C-X bond, the faster the hydrolysis is true because hydrolysis of haloalkanes involves the cleavage of the carbon-halogen bond. When a haloalkane undergoes hydrolysis, the carbon atom attached to the halogen is reacting with water, replacing the halogen with a hydroxyl group. A weaker C-X bond means that less energy is required to break that bond, allowing the hydrolysis to occur more readily and at a faster rate.

For example, the bond strength decreases in the order C-F, C-Cl, C-Br, C-I. Consequently, the C-I bond is the weakest, making iodoalkanes typically hydrolyze faster than bromo- or chloroalkanes. Thus, the bond strength directly influences the speed at which hydrolysis occurs: as the C-X bond weakens, the rate of hydrolysis increases.

In essence, the hydrolysis rate is inversely related to the bond strength, confirming that weaker bonds lead to faster reaction rates in the context of haloalkanes.