Question

Among the following statements on the nitration of aromatic compounds, the false one is

• A. the rate of nitration of benzene is almost the same as that of hexadeuterobenzene
• B. the rate of nitration of toluene is greater than that of benzene
• C. the rate of nitration of benzene is greater than that of hexadeuterobenzene
• D. nitration is an electrophilic substitution reaction

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Since ${}^{+}N{O}_2$ is an electrophile so nitration is electrophilic substitution reaction. Nitration in toluene is greater because of electron-repelling $(+I)$ nature of $—C{H}_3$ group. In nitration, the rate determining step is the attack of $N{O}_2^{+}$ on benzene and not the cleavage of $C-H$ (or $C-D$) bond, thus the rates of nitration are almost same.