What is the expected product when anisole undergoes bromination?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the expected product when anisole undergoes bromination?
Bromobenzene
Ortho-bromoanisole
Para-bromoanisole
No reaction
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the expected product when anisole undergoes bromination?
Step 1: Understand what anisole is. Anisole is a compound that has a methoxy group (-OCH3) attached to a benzene ring.
Step 2: Know what bromination means. Bromination is a chemical reaction where bromine (Br) is added to a compound.
Step 3: Identify the type of reaction. Bromination of anisole is an electrophilic substitution reaction, where the bromine acts as an electrophile.
Step 4: Recognize the role of the methoxy group. The methoxy group is an electron-donating group, which means it helps to stabilize the positive charge that forms during the reaction.
Step 5: Determine the directing effects of the methoxy group. Since the methoxy group is electron-donating, it directs the bromination to the positions on the benzene ring that are ortho and para to it.
Step 6: Identify the preferred product. The para position is typically favored over the ortho position due to steric hindrance, leading to the formation of para-bromoanisole as the main product.