Zeroing In on Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution

Abstract

A unique and novel illustration of reactivity trends in the formation of trisubstituted benzene derivatives from disubstituted systems using electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions is presented. The reactivity trends of seven transformations involving eight electron-withdrawing groups and eleven electron-releasing groups of 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-disubstituted benzene derivatives were confirmed after performing literature searches using SciFinder Scholar. The net results in the placement of the third substituent are governed by the electronic and steric effects of preexisting substituents.