Electrophilic and Aromatic Substitution

The hydroxyl group of a phenol is a strongly activating substituent and electrophilic aromatic substitution occurs readily m phenol and its deriv atives Typical examples were presented m Table 24 4... 

A hydroxyl group is a very powerful activating substituent, and electrophilic aromatic substitution in phenols occurs far- faster, and under milder conditions, than in benzene. The first entry in Table 24.4, for exfflnple, shows the monobromination of phenol in high yield at low temperature and in the absence of any catalyst. In this case, the reaction was carried out in the nonpolar- solvent 1,2-dichloroethane. In polar- solvents such as water it is difficult to limit the bromination of phenols to monosubstitution. In the following exfflnple, all three positions that are ortho or para to the hydroxyl undergo rapid substitution ... 

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