What is the main product when toluene is nitrated?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the main product when toluene is nitrated?
Nitrotoluene
Dinitrotoluene
Benzaldehyde
Benzyl alcohol
Nitration of toluene primarily yields nitrotoluene, with the nitro group being directed to the ortho and para positions.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: What is the main product when toluene is nitrated?
Solution: Nitration of toluene primarily yields nitrotoluene, with the nitro group being directed to the ortho and para positions.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand what nitration means. Nitration is a chemical reaction where a nitro group (NO2) is added to a molecule.
Step 2: Identify the starting material. In this case, the starting material is toluene, which is a type of aromatic hydrocarbon.
Step 3: Know the structure of toluene. Toluene has a benzene ring with a methyl group (CH3) attached to it.
Step 4: Recognize where the nitro group can attach. The nitro group can attach to the benzene ring at different positions: ortho (next to the methyl group) or para (across from the methyl group).
Step 5: Determine the main product. When toluene is nitrated, the main products are ortho-nitrotoluene and para-nitrotoluene.
Step 6: Conclude that nitrotoluene is the main product of the nitration of toluene.
