Chapter 25 - Aromatic Compounds Flashcards
Introducing benzene, Electrophilic substitution reactions of benzene, The chemistry of phenol, Directing groups.
What is benzene?
A cyclic hydrocarbon compound C6H6
What are some properties of benzene?
benzene is a sweet smelling, colourless, highly flammable liquid and is a carcinogen (cancer causing),
Define arene
An aromatic hydrocarbon containing one or more benzene rings
Define aromatic
Any compound containing one or more benzene rings
What are the three arguments against the kekule structure?
1) benzenes low chemical reactivity - doesn’t decolourise bromine like an alkene
2) carbon lengths in benzene are all the same but c=c is different length than c-c
3) benzenes enthalpy of hydrogenation is lower than expected. so its more stable than kekule structure.
Describe the structure of Benzene
The neighbouring carbons p-orbitals overlap and form a delocalised π system ABOVE and BELOW the carbon structure. The electrons spread throughout the entire ring.
What are benzenes unusual properties?
Under normal conditions benzene does not:
1) decolourise bromine water
2) react with strong acids like HCl
3) react with halogens
Why does benzene undergo substitution reaction rather than addition reactions?
In an addition reaction: the electrons in the pi-system would have to bond with the atom/group being added but this would make it more unstable.
What is aliphatic and alicyclic?
Aliphatic - organic molecules containing chains and/or rings
Alicyclic - molecules that have rings which are not benzene.
How do you name compounds with benzene?
Benzene suffix when ring contains:
- alkyl group (<7 Cs)
- Halogen
- Nitro (NO2)
Phenyl prefix when ring contains:
- alkyl group (>7 Cs)
- functional group (e.g. carbonyl, alcohol etc)
e.g. 2-phenylethanol
When alcohol and carboxylic acid, prefix -hydroxy.
e.g. 2-hydroxybenzoic acid
What structures do you need to learn?
- Benzoic acid
- Phenol
- Methylbenzene
- phenylamine
- Benzaldehyde
Define electrophile
Electron pair acceptor
What does the general electrophilic substitution of benzene look like?
What are the conditions for nitration of benzene?
Conc HNO3 (reagent)
Conc H2SO4 (catalyst)
50C
What happens in nitration if it gets hotter than 50 degrees?
More than one nitro (NO2) group may be added to the ring
Nitration of benzene equation?
Benzene + conc HNO3 –> nitrobenzene + H2O
What is the Nitration of benzene mechanism? there are 3 steps…
Overall equation products: Nitrobenzene + H2O
How is the H2SO4 catalyst regenerated?
HSO4- + H+ -> H2SO4
(H+ from benzene)
Outline acylation of benzene
Benzene + RCOCl with FeCl3
Forms Phenylalkanone + HCl
example
benzene + ethanoyl chloride –> phenylethanone + HCl
Acyl group = RCO
How does a nitrating mixture produce an electrophile?
H2SO4 + HNO3 -> NO2+ + HSO4- + H2O
Nitronium ion (NO2)+ is electrophile
As halogens cannot react on their own with benzene, what is required?
Halogen carrier which acts as a catalyst