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Deactivating Group

  • Page ID
    39583
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    If electrophilic aromatic substitution of a monosubstituted benzene is slower than that of benzene under identical conditions, the substituent in the monosubstituted benzene is called a deactivating group.

    eg:

    deactivatinggroup1.png

    Under identical conditions, Reaction 2 is slower than Reaction 1. Thus, the nitro group is a deactivating group.

    All deactivating groups are electron-withdrawing groups.

    Common deactivating groups:

    deactivatinggroup2.png

    see also activating group, ortho, para directing group, meta directing group


    This page titled Deactivating Group is shared under a All Rights Reserved (used with permission) license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Gamini Gunawardena via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

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