Which aromatic compound is most reactive towards electrophilic substitution?

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Q: Which aromatic compound is most reactive towards electrophilic substitution?

Solution: Toluene is more reactive than benzene due to the electron-donating effect of the methyl group, which stabilizes the sigma complex.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what aromatic compounds are. Aromatic compounds are special types of hydrocarbons that have a ring structure and follow Huckel's rule.
Step 2: Know what electrophilic substitution means. This is a reaction where an electrophile (a positively charged species) replaces a hydrogen atom in the aromatic ring.
Step 3: Identify the two compounds to compare: benzene and toluene. Benzene is a simple aromatic compound, while toluene has a methyl group (CH3) attached to it.
Step 4: Recognize the effect of the methyl group. The methyl group is an electron-donating group, which means it pushes electrons towards the aromatic ring.
Step 5: Understand how the electron-donating effect increases reactivity. The more electrons in the ring, the more stable the sigma complex (the intermediate formed during the reaction), making the compound more reactive.
Step 6: Conclude that toluene is more reactive than benzene because the methyl group helps stabilize the sigma complex during electrophilic substitution.