Question

Amino group is o,p-directing for electrophilic substitution reaction. But on nitration the major products is m-nitroaniline because

• A. Aniline gets protonated with strong acids to give anilinium ion which is m-directing.
• B. Nitration requires nitric acid which oxidizes $- \mathrm { NH } _ { 2 }$ to $- \mathrm { NO } _ { 2 }$ group.
• C. Electrophile $\mathrm { NO } _ { 2 } ^ { + }$ is a m-directing group.
• D. Benzene ring exerts +I effect and deactivates the ring.

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Aniline gets protonated with strong acids to give

anilinium ion which is m-directing.

Answer 2

: Anilinium ion formed by protonation of aniline deactivates o- and p-position hence substitution takes place at m-position.