Question

Towards electrophilic substitution, the most reactive will be

• A. Nitrobenzene
• B. Aniline
• C. Aniline hydrochloride
• D. N-Acetylaniline

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Nitrobenzene and aniline hydrochloride have electron - withdrawing $(-N{O}_2$ and$-\stackrel{+}{N}{H}_3)$ ) groups, hence these will undergo electrophilic substitution with difficulty Aniline and N- acetylaniline (acetanilide) have electron- releasing groups, however $-NHCOC{H}_3$ is less electron- releasing than $-N{H}_2$ due to delocalisation of lone pair of electron on N toward carbonyl group. Hence aniline (having -$N{H}_2)$ will undergo electrophilic substitution most easily