March 28, 2024, 07:15:37 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Hydration inactivating FeBr3 in Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution  (Read 6992 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline zeoblade

  • Regular Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 88
  • Mole Snacks: +1/-0
In a section on halogenation of benzene, a question asks, "why does hydration inactivate FeBr3?"

Maybe I can't understand what they are asking. Are they asking to add water to benzene? Or hydrating FeBr3?

Water coordinating to Fe as a ligand will inactivate FeBr3 to catalyse halogenation of benzene?

Offline Schrödinger

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1162
  • Mole Snacks: +138/-98
  • Gender: Male
Well, I'm guessing that H2O, as you said binds to FeBr3, which is a Lewis acid, and prevents breakdown of the Br-Br bond.
    Br2 + FeBr3 = Br+ + [FeBr4]-
   The above reaction might not occur due to the absence of FeBr3

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 
"Destiny is not a matter of chance; but a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved."
- William Jennings Bryan

Sponsored Links