Aromatic Compounds Flashcards

Flashcards covering aromatic bonding, benzene, arenes, electrophilic substitution, and related reactions.

Aromatic Compound

Compound with unique structure and bonding due to delocalized electrons, like benzene.

Benzene

Aromatic compound; a ring of six carbon atoms with six hydrogen atoms and a ring of delocalized electrons. Very stable due to ring structure.

Arenes

Compounds containing benzene as part of their structure; also known as aromatic compounds. They tend to react via substitution mechanisms instead of addition.

Electrophilic Substitution

A reaction where an electrophile attacks the electron ring in benzene, partially destroying it, then the ring is restored. Types include: Halogenation, Nitration, and Friedel-Crafts Alkylation.

Halogenation of Benzene

Electrophilic substitution where a positively charged halide ion acts as an electrophile, forming a halobenzene compound.

Nitration of Benzene

Electrophilic substitution where the NO2+ ion is the electrophile, produced from the reaction of concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated nitric acid.

Friedel-Crafts Alkylation

Reaction where the delocalized electron ring in benzene acts as a nucleophile, leading to an attack from acyl chlorides, using an aluminium chloride catalyst.

Phenylketone

The product of Friedel-Crafts alkylation; the benzene group is called a phenyl group.

Negative Inductive Effect

Effect where benzene rings draw electron density towards themselves, away from any substituent group such as a halogen atom, strengthening the bond.