Question:medium

Arrange the following compounds in increasing order of rate of aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction:
aromatic electrophilic substitution

Show Hint

Remember that groups like -OH and -NH\(_2\) activate the aromatic ring by donating electron density, whereas -NO\(_2\) and -COOH deactivates it by withdrawing electron density.
Updated On: Mar 26, 2026
  • (a)<(b)<(c)
  • (b)<(c)<(a)
  • (c)<(a)<(b)
  • (c)<(b)<(a)
Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step-by-step Explanation:

Aromatic Electrophilic Substitution Reaction:

Aromatic electrophilic substitution is a reaction in which an electrophile replaces a hydrogen atom in an aromatic ring. The rate of this reaction is influenced by the nature of substituents present on the aromatic ring. Activating groups increase the rate, while deactivating groups decrease it.

Analysis of Compounds:

  1. Compound (a) has an OH group attached to a naphthalene ring. The OH group is an activating group that donates electrons by resonance, increasing the electron density on the ring and enhancing the rate of the reaction.
  2. Compound (b) also has an OH group on naphthalene, similar to compound (a).
  3. Compound (c) has a carbonyl group attached, which is a deactivating group. The carbonyl group withdraws electrons, reducing the electron density, which slows the reaction.

Ordering Based on the Rate:

The presence of the electron-donating OH group makes compounds (a) and (b) more reactive than (c), which has an electron-withdrawing carbonyl group.

Conclusion:

The increasing order of rate of aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction is:

\((a) < (b) < (c)\)

Was this answer helpful?
0