Which of the following is the most activating in electrophilic aromatic substitution?
Which of the following is the most activating in electrophilic aromatic substitution? Correct Answer -NH2
Groups with unshared pairs of electrons, such as the amino group of aniline, are strongly activating and ortho/para-directing by resonance. Such activating groups donate those unshared electrons to the pi system, creating a negative charge on the ortho and para positions. These positions are thus the most reactive towards an electron-poor electrophile. The highest electron density is located on both ortho and para positions, although this increased reactivity might be offset by steric hindrance between substituent and electrophile.