Suggest why Phenol is more reactive than Benzene in Electrophillic Substitution

With phenol, the oxygen atom is directly attached to the delocolised pi system in phenol, as a result the lone pair on this oxygen is incorporated into this delocolised pi system in phenol, increasing it's electron density.Therefore making it more susceptible to electrophillic attack, where the electrophile (which is electron deffiecient, is attracted to high areas of electron density. Whereas the delocolised pi system in benzene is not as electron rich, and is less suseptible to electrophillic attack, and substitution goes at a much slower rate

HC
Answered by Hayden C. Chemistry tutor

2115 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

Sort the following compounds in order of increasing boiling point and explain your reasoning: hydrogen, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen bromide


What is a transition metal complex?


Why do ionisation energies increase across a period?


How does hydrogen bonding work?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences