Here’s Hofmann’s rule explained without using chemical equations:
Hofmann’s rule is a guideline in organic chemistry that predicts which product will form when certain molecules undergo an elimination reaction. Specifically, when a quaternary ammonium compound (a molecule containing a nitrogen atom bonded to four carbon groups) is heated in the presence of a base, it loses a hydrogen atom and a group attached to the nitrogen, forming a double bond in the process.
According to Hofmann’s rule, the major product of this elimination is the less substituted alkene, meaning the double bond forms in a position where it has fewer carbon groups attached to it. This is the opposite of what usually happens in many elimination reactions, where the more substituted (and more stable) alkene is favored, as predicted by Zaitsev’s rule.
The reason for this preference is steric hindrance: the bulky ammonium group makes it difficult to remove hydrogen atoms from the more crowded positions, so elimination occurs at the less crowded site, giving the less substituted alkene.
In short: Hofmann’s rule → less substituted alkene forms as the major product due to steric effects.