Hydrogenation, catalytic substituent directive effects

The importance of the steric effect accounts for the spread of the data for lf-N in the substitution reactions. Nitration and non-catalytic chlorination, reactions of modest steric requirements, define points which fall above the arbitrary reference line. Bromination, a reaction of somewhat greater steric requirements, is not accelerated to the extent anticipated on the basis of the results for nitration or chlorination. The benzoylation reaction with large steric requirements is two orders of magnitude slower than the equally selective chlorination reaction. The unusually small ratio for lf-N/2f-N for the acylation reaction is a further indication of the steric effects. Apparently, the direct substitution reactions of naphthalene respond to the retarding steric influence of the peri hydrogen in much the same way as for other ortho substituents. 

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