Which mechanism is primarily involved in the electrophilic substitution of aroma
Practice Questions
Q1
Which mechanism is primarily involved in the electrophilic substitution of aromatic compounds?
SN1
SN2
E1
E2
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which mechanism is primarily involved in the electrophilic substitution of aromatic compounds?
Step 1: Understand that electrophilic aromatic substitution is a reaction involving aromatic compounds, which are special types of hydrocarbons with a ring structure.
Step 2: Identify that in this reaction, an electrophile (a positively charged species) attacks the aromatic ring.
Step 3: Recognize that the first step of the mechanism involves the formation of a carbocation intermediate, which is a positively charged carbon atom.
Step 4: Note that this carbocation is formed when the aromatic compound temporarily loses one of its hydrogen atoms to accommodate the electrophile.
Step 5: Understand that after the carbocation is formed, the aromatic compound will regain its aromaticity by losing a proton (H+) to restore the stable ring structure.
Step 6: Conclude that the overall mechanism resembles the SN1 mechanism, where a carbocation intermediate is a key feature.