with ethyl bromide, the reaction product is predominantly the substitution product. as steric hindrance around the electrophilic center increases, as with isobutyl bromide, substitution is disfavored and elimination is the predominant reaction. other factors favoring elimination are the strength of the base. with the less basic benzoate substrate, isopropyl bromide reacts with 55% substitution. in general, gas phase reactions and solution phase reactions of this type follow the same trends, even though in the first, solvent effects are dropped.