Question

Assertion :Nitration of toluene is easier than benzene.
Reason: The methyl group in toluene is electron-releasing.

• A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion
• B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion
• C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect
• D. Assertion is incorrect and Reason is correct

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion

The methyl group which is added to the benzene ring confers it special properties making it different from benzene.

The methyl group is an electron donating group. The extra electron density delivered into the ring by the substituent is not equally divided over the entire ring but is concentrated on atoms 2, 4 and 6 (the ortho and para positions).

Basically, the methyl of the toluene stabilizes the cationic intermediate formed during the substitution by donating electrons into the ring system, by either inductive effect or resonance effects making the reaction more favorable.

The ortho and para positions are the most reactive towards an electron-poor electrophile, thus promoting electrophilic substitution reaction.

The methyl group hence makes it around 25 times more reactive than benzene hence making its nitration easier than that of benzene.

So the answer is A.