Aromatic Compounds and EAS

Study flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to aromatic compounds and their reactions.

σ Bond

A type of covalent bond formed by the direct overlap of atomic orbitals.

Aromatic Compounds

Compounds that exhibit special stability due to their cyclic, planar structure, fully conjugated, and containing a Hückel number of electrons in the π-system.

Benzene

The first member of a group of unsaturated cyclic compounds, known for its aromaticity and special stability.

Aromaticity

The property of cyclic compounds that confers stability and makes them inert to typical addition reactions of alkenes.

Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution (EAS)

A reaction where a proton on the aromatic ring is replaced by an electrophile, with the aromatic ring acting as the nucleophile.

Halogenation

A type of electrophilic aromatic substitution that introduces a halogen into the aromatic ring.

Nomenclature

The system of naming compounds, particularly how benzene derivatives are named.

Phenyl Group

A substituent derived from benzene when benzene is attached to another molecule.

Benzyl Group

A substituent that consists of a phenyl group connected to a -CH2- group.

Friedel-Crafts Reaction

A reaction involving the formation of new carbon-carbon bonds through alkylation or acylation of aromatic compounds.

Ortho, Meta, Para

Terms that describe the relative positions of substituents on a disubstituted benzene ring.

Activation vs Deactivation

The concept that certain substituents can increase or decrease the electron density of the benzene ring, affecting its reactivity.

Directing Effects

The influence of substituents on the positions where new groups will be attached to the aromatic ring during electrophilic substitution.

Electron-Drawing Groups (EDG)

Groups that donate electron density, typically increasing the reactivity of EAS reactions.

Electron-Withdrawing Groups (EWG)

Groups that pull electron density away from the benzene ring, typically decreasing reactivity in EAS reactions.

Resonance Structures

Different ways to draw a molecule that show the distribution of electrons, contributing to the concept of aromatic compounds.