Which of the following compounds is a meta-directing group in electrophilic aromatic substitution?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which of the following compounds is a meta-directing group in electrophilic aromatic substitution?
Amino group (-NH2)
Methyl group (-CH3)
Nitro group (-NO2)
Hydroxyl group (-OH)
The nitro group (-NO2) is a meta-directing group because it withdraws electrons from the aromatic ring, making the ortho and para positions less favorable for electrophilic attack.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which of the following compounds is a meta-directing group in electrophilic aromatic substitution?
Solution: The nitro group (-NO2) is a meta-directing group because it withdraws electrons from the aromatic ring, making the ortho and para positions less favorable for electrophilic attack.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand what electrophilic aromatic substitution is. It is a reaction where an electrophile replaces a hydrogen atom on an aromatic ring.
Step 2: Know what directing groups are. They influence where the electrophile will attach on the aromatic ring.
Step 3: Identify the types of directing groups. There are two main types: ortho/para-directing groups and meta-directing groups.
Step 4: Learn about the nitro group (-NO2). It is a strong electron-withdrawing group.
Step 5: Recognize that because the nitro group withdraws electrons, it makes the positions next to it (ortho and para) less favorable for electrophilic attack.
Step 6: Conclude that the nitro group directs electrophiles to the meta position instead, making it a meta-directing group.
