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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: craken66 on October 20, 2009, 09:22:24 PM

Title: Why is hydroxide group an electron-donating group?
Post by: craken66 on October 20, 2009, 09:22:24 PM
Generally, hydroxide group is known as electron-donating group when directly attached to benzene ring.

Actually, oxygen of hydroxide is heavily electronegative, and likes electrons.

then, Why is hydroxide group an electron-donating group?

I think that hydroxide is more like electron-withdrawing group when directly bound to aromatic nucleus.

What do you think?

Thank you for your reading!!
Title: Re: Why is hydroxide group an electron-donating group?
Post by: KritikalMass on October 20, 2009, 10:04:08 PM
Look at resonance. Does the hydroxyl group have any spare electrons that it can donate to the benzene ring?