Reactivity and Orientation in Electrophilic
Aromatic Substitution
How do derivatives of benzene behave towards electrophilic attack?
Two experimental observations illustrate that the behaviour is quite
varied. The rate of nitration of toluene is appreciably faster than that of
benzene and produces a mixture of 2- and 4-nitrotoluenes. On the other
hand, the nitration of nitrobenzene is more difficult than that of benzene
and gives just one product, 1,3-dinitrobenzene (Scheme 2.9).