[saint_john]

When Napthalene is nitrated the products are either 1-nitronaphthalene or 2- nitronaphthalene.

1-nitronaphthalene is the major product but why is this so ?

can someone explain

[kryptoniitti]

This is a textbook case of kinetic vs thermodynamic reaction. Dig into that and you'll get full disclosure.

[orgopete]

The explanation I prefer is due to the stability of the two different arenium ions. The one better stabilized by resonance while maintaining aromaticity leads to the major product.

However, krypton has raised an interesting question. Is there something that I don't know here? I thought the product was 1-nitro, but other conditions or continued reaction gives the 2-nitro (or vice versa)?

[saint_john]

yeah i think it would depend on the conditions, even though 1- nitro naphthalene is the kinetic product.... 2- nitronaphthalene is the thermodynamically stable product

[AWK]

http://www.pnas.org/content/78/6/3298.full.pdf+html