Chapter 25 Flashcards
What is benzene?
An aromatic hydrocarbon (as is every delocalised ring of electrons - anything that contains benzene is aromatic) ; C6H6
Physical properties of benzene?
Colourless, sweet smelling and highly flammable liquid
Found naturally in crude oil and in cigarette smoke
Classified as a carcinogen ; can cause cancer
What else can benzene be classed as?
An arene - alternating double and single bonds
Describe benzene molecule?
Hexagonal ring of carbon atoms with each carbon atom joined to two other carbon atoms and to one hydrogen atom ; does NOT react in the same way as Alkenes
What are aromatic compounds?
Any derivatives of benzene are classified as aromatic
What was the problem scientists first faced with benzene?
Using its molecular formula of C6H6, many thought that the molecule would contain many double or even triple bonds ; but these were known to be very reactive and benzene appeared unreactive
Kekulé model
Suggested that the structure of benzene was based on a hexagonal ring joined by alternate single and double bonds
3 pieces of evidence to disprove the kekule model
Lack of reactivity of benzene
Lengths of carbon-carbon bonds in benzene
Hydrogenation enthalpies
Lack of reactivity of benzene
If benzene contained C=C bonds, it should decolourise bromine in an electrophilic addition reaction, however benzene does not undergo electrophilic addition reactions and cannot decolourise bromine under normal conditions - thus benzene cannot have any C=C bonds in its structure
Lengths of carbon-carbon bonds in benzene
Using X-ray diffraction ; possible to measure bond lengths in a molecule and it was found that all the bonds in benzene were 0.139nm in length ; this was between the bond length of a single bond and a double bond (thus because kekule model alternates, they cannot all be of the same length)
Hydrogenation enthalpies
Kekule structure could be given the name cyclohexa-1,3,5-triene and thus it’s expected Enthalpy change of hydrogenation should be 3 times or cyclohexene. (3*-120 = -360)
But actual enthalpy change of hydrogenation of benzene is less Exothermic ; only -208 - thus the actual structure of benzene is MORE STABLE THAN KEKULE
What did this evidence lead to?
Proposing the delocalised model of benzene
Delocalised model of benzene?
Benzene is planar, cyclic and hexagonal
Each carbon atom uses 3 of its 4 electrons in bonding to 2 other carbon atoms and 1 hydrogen atom
Each carbon atom has one electron in a p orbital at right angles to the plane of the bonded carbon and hydrogen atoms
Adjacent p-orbital electrons overlap sideways ; above and below the plane of the carbon atoms to form a ring of pi electron density ; spreads over all 6 of the carbon atoms in the ring structure
THESE 6 ELECTRONS OCCUPYING THE SYSTEM IF PI BONDS ARE DELOCALISED
Aromatic compounds with one substituent group
They are monosubstituted
In aromatic compounds
The benzene ring is often considered to be the parent chain ; alkyl groups, halogens and nitro (NO2) are all considered prefixes to benzene
When does benzene not become the parent chain?
When benzene is attached to an alkyl chain with a functional group OR TO AN ALKYL GROUP WITH 7 OR MORE CARBON ATOMS ; benzene is considered to be a substituent ; instead of benzene, prefix PHENYL is used in the name
Exceptions to these rules
Benzoic acid (draw)
Phenylamine (NH2 - draw)
Benzaldehyde (draw)
What happens when compounds have more than 1 substituent group?
Are numbered like a carbon chain, starting with one of the substituent groups - listed in alphabetical order using the smallest numbers possible
Reactivity of benzene?
Benzene and it’s derivatives undergo substitution reactions in which a hydrogen atom on the benzene ring is replaced by another atom/group of atoms ; typically reacts with electrophilic and this is through electrophilic substitution
Electrophilic substitution
Benzene (with hydrogen attached to a carbon atom) + E+ (electrophile) -> Substituted benzene with electrophile + H+
Nitration of benzene?
Benzene reacts slowly with nitric acid to form nitrobenzene ; reaction is catalysed by H2SO4 and heated to 50 degrees Celsius to obtain a good rate of reaction ; water bath used to maintain the steady temperature
One of hydrogen atoms on benzene ring is replaced by NO2 group
Equation for nitration of benzene?
Benzene + HNO3 -> Nitrobenzene + H2O
What if the temperature rises above 50 degrees
Further substitution reactions may occur leading to the production of dinitrobenzene
Benzene + 2HNO3 -> 1,3 - dintrobenzene + 2H2O
What is nitrobenzene used for?
Starting material in preparation of dyes, pharmaceuticals and pesticides ; also used in the preparation of paracetamol
Reaction mechanism for nitration
Electrophile is not HNO3 but instead is the nitro Idm ion ; NO2+ - produced by the reaction of nitric acid with H2SO4
In step 2, the electrophile accepts a pair of electrons from the benzene ring to form a dative covalent bond - this is unstable and breaks down to form the organic product, nitrobenzene and the H+ ion
H+ ion reacts with HSO4- to form H2SO4 and it regenerates the catalyst
Reaction mechanism for nitration
Step 1 : HNO3 + H2SO4 -> NO2+ + HSO4- + H2O
Step 2 : DRAW IT OUT (benzene attracted to NO2+ electrophile, then forms intermediate with semicircle of positive charge, Hydrogen atom attracted to positive area and this breaks it down form nitrobenzene with H+ ion)
Step 3 : regenerate catalyst H+ + HSO4- -> H2SO4