Cyclohexadienyl cation, intermediate

Most of the resonance stabilization of benzene is lost when it is converted to the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate In spite of being allylic a cyclohexadienyl cation IS not aromatic and possesses only a fraction of the resonance stabilization of benzene... 

Figure 12 3 adapts the general mechanism of electrophilic aromatic substitution to the nitration of benzene The first step is rate determining m it benzene reacts with nitro mum ion to give the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate In the second step the aro maticity of the ring is restored by loss of a proton from the cyclohexadienyl cation... 

Two of the n electrons of benzene are used to form a bond to bromine and give a cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate... 

Figure 12 7 illustrates attack on the benzene ring by tert butyl cation (step 1) and subsequent formation of tert butylbenzene by loss of a proton from the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate (step 2)... 

Step 2 Loss of a proton from the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate yields tert butylbenzene C(CH3)3... 

FIGURE 12 7 The mechanism of Friedel-Crafts alkylation The molecular model depicts the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate formed in step 1... 

Why IS there such a marked difference between methyl and trifluoromethyl substituents m their influence on electrophilic aromatic substitution s Methyl is activating and ortho para directing trifluoromethyl is deactivating and meta directing The first point to remember is that the regioselectivity of substitution is set once the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate is formed If we can explain why... 

When we examine the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediates involved m the nitra tion of (trifluoromethyl)benzene we And that those leading to ortho and para substitu tion are strongly destabilized... 

Wnte a structural formula for the most stable cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate formed in each of the following reactions Is this intermediate more or less stable than the one formed by electrophilic attack on benzene" ... 

Cyclohexadienyl cation intermediate nitro group IS destabilizing... 

How substituents control rate and regioselectivity in electrophilic aromatic substitution results from their effect on carbocation stability. An electron-releasing substituent stabilizes the cyclohexadienyl cation intermediates corresponding to ortho and para attack more than meta. 

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