In the previous post, we talked about the ortho-, meta-, and para-directors in electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS). Substituents on a benzene ring influence both the reactivity of the ring and the position where new groups enter. Activating groups (such as … Read more
We have seen earlier that in electrophilic aromatic substitutions, it is the benzene ring that provides the electrons to react with electron-deficient species – electrophiles.Therefore, the more electron density we supply to benzene, the more reactive it becomes in EAS … Read more
In the previous few posts, we went over the basics of electrophilic aromatic substitution-halogenation, nitration, and sulfonation. Now, let’s dive into one of the most important EAS reactions discovered in 1877 by Charles Friedel and James Crafts, which allows for … Read more
Organic Chemistry Practice Problems can be found after each topic covered in Chemistry Steps. The list of topics can be found here, and below are some examples of what you will find. Refer to this post if you are seeking … Read more
In the previous post, we talked about the orientation effects in EAS when there is more than one substituent on the benzene ring. In short, to predict the substitution site, you need to determine the stronger activator. Using … Read more
In this article, we will discuss the main limitations and undesired pathways in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions and the strategies to overcome them. Friedel-Crafts Reactions The Friedel-Crafts reactions are used for alkylation and acylation of aromatic compounds. Rearrangement … Read more
In this post, we will talk about the ortho-, meta, and para directors in electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS). As a reminder, the ortho-, meta, and para are the relative positions of the two groups in a disubstituted aromatic ring: … Read more
In the previous post, we learned about the electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions and went over the mechanisms of halogenation, nitration, and sulfonation of the benzene ring. Following an identical mechanism, two reactions, discovered by Charles Friedel and James Crafts in … Read more
Benzene has 3 π bonds and, as expected, shows some similarities to alkenes in being reactive towards electrophilic species. However, there are two key differences between their reactions with electrophiles. First, benzene is very stable and thus less reactive. Second, unlike … Read more
