The increasing order of the reactivity of the following compounds towards electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction is:
(I) (see structure) (II) (see structure) (III) (see structure)IIIIII
(A)(III) < (I) < (II)✓ Correct
(B)(III) < (II) < (I)
(C)(II) < (I) < (III)
(D)(I) < (III) < (II)
Answer: (A)
Solution
In electrophilic aromatic substitution, electron-donating groups activate the ring and electron-withdrawing groups deactivate it. In chlorobenzene the chlorine is weakly deactivating through its −I effect; in toluene the methyl group is activating; in acetophenone the −COCHX3 group is strongly deactivating by both −R and −I. Reactivity rises from acetophenone, to chlorobenzene, to toluene.
JEE Main · 2019 · 10 Apr 2019 · Shift 1 · Single correct option