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Topic: Electrophilic aromatic substitution  (Read 4328 times)

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Offline THC

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Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« on: February 28, 2008, 02:21:43 PM »
I was just wondering...

When Cl2 is added to toluene, the products are typically o-bromotoluene and p-bromotoluene. But why isn't -CH3 the leaving group, so the product would be bromobenzene? Is -CH3 a bad leaving group, or what is the explanation?

Offline azmanam

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Re: Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2008, 02:23:27 PM »
what do you propose the mechanism is for this reaction?  that will help explain why CH3 remains in the product.
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Offline THC

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Re: Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2008, 02:48:10 PM »
Ah yes, of course. Thank you once again :)

Offline azmanam

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Re: Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2008, 02:49:45 PM »
np. and yes, CH3- is a terrible leaving group.
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Offline Sev

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Re: Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2008, 05:00:00 PM »
Quote
When Cl2 is added to toluene, the products are typically o-bromotoluene and p-bromotoluene.

Cl2?

Offline agrobert

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Re: Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2008, 05:04:25 PM »
must be confusion in OP, but I think he understands the concept which is the samne either way
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Offline THC

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Re: Electrophilic aromatic substitution
« Reply #6 on: February 29, 2008, 01:45:41 PM »
Sorry, yes, I was a bit absentminded. I should have written X2, where X is a halogen.

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