Ok so I’m just wondering - When benzene undergoes electrophilic substitution, how many pi electrons does the intermediate have (the positively charged ring) I cane across a question on this and it says 4. I’m confused as I thought it’d be 5?
Ok so I’m just wondering - When benzene undergoes electrophilic substitution, how many pi electrons does the intermediate have (the positively charged ring) I cane across a question on this and it says 4. I’m confused as I thought it’d be 5?
Hi,
If you think about it with the kekule structure in mind, its a bit easier to imagine: A bezene molecule has 6 pi electrons. When an electrophile joins onto the benzene ring, one of the double carbon bond becomes a single carbon bond, meaning that you only have 2 double carbon bonds left. Since each double carbon bond contains 2 pi electrons, there must be only 4 pi electrons present in the intermediate.
If you think about it with the kekule structure in mind, its a bit easier to imagine: A bezene molecule has 6 pi electrons. When an electrophile joins onto the benzene ring, one of the double carbon bond becomes a single carbon bond, meaning that you only have 2 double carbon bonds left. Since each double carbon bond contains 2 pi electrons, there must be only 4 pi electrons present in the intermediate.
Hope this helps
Ah that makes it easier to understand, thank you! I kept imagining it only attaching to one carbon so only one electron is lost but it makes sense now because the electrophile is +vely charged. Thank again!!
Ah that makes it easier to understand, thank you! I kept imagining it only attaching to one carbon so only one electron is lost but it makes sense now because the electrophile is +vely charged. Thank again!!