Which of the following compounds is most reactive towards electrophilic substitution?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which of the following compounds is most reactive towards electrophilic substitution?
Toluene
Benzene
Chlorobenzene
Nitrobenzene
Toluene is most reactive due to the electron-donating effect of the methyl group, which activates the ring towards electrophilic substitution.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which of the following compounds is most reactive towards electrophilic substitution?
Solution: Toluene is most reactive due to the electron-donating effect of the methyl group, which activates the ring towards electrophilic substitution.
Steps: 7
Step 1: Understand what electrophilic substitution means. It is a reaction where an electrophile replaces a hydrogen atom in an aromatic compound.
Step 2: Identify the compounds given in the question. Look for toluene and other aromatic compounds.
Step 3: Recognize that some groups attached to the aromatic ring can either donate or withdraw electrons.
Step 4: Note that the methyl group in toluene is an electron-donating group. This means it helps to increase the electron density in the aromatic ring.
Step 5: Realize that a higher electron density in the ring makes it more reactive towards electrophiles.
Step 6: Compare toluene with other compounds. If they have electron-withdrawing groups, they will be less reactive than toluene.
Step 7: Conclude that toluene is the most reactive compound towards electrophilic substitution because of the electron-donating effect of the methyl group.
