Asked in UHS MDCAT 2009 2009Moderate

During nitration of benzene, the active nitrating agent is:

Correct answer: D. NO2+

  • A. NO2-
  • B. HNO2
  • C. NO3-
  • D. NO2+

Explanation

Explanation:During the nitration of benzene which is an electrophilic substitution reaction, the active nitrating agent is NO2+. Sulfuric acid reacts with nitric acid to produce this electrophile. NO2- is a negatively charged ion and is not capable of nitration. HNO2 is nitrous acid and is not a strong nitrating agent. It is used in diazotization reactions to convert primary amines into diazonium salts. NO3 is a nitrate ion and is not a good nitrating agent. Nitrate ions can be reduced to nitrite ions (NO2-) which can act as nitrating agents in certain conditions, but they are not as strong as NO2+.

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About Benzene and Aromatic Compounds

Benzene has a planar ring of delocalised π electrons, giving aromatic stability and equal carbon-carbon bond lengths. The topic covers resonance, electrophilic substitution reactions such as nitration, halogenation, sulphonation and Friedel-Crafts reactions, along with substituent effects and the distinction between substitution in benzene and addition in ordinary alkenes.

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