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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Archy12345 on February 01, 2013, 04:45:57 AM

Title: Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Post by: Archy12345 on February 01, 2013, 04:45:57 AM

Nevermind this post. I figured it out.

Title: Re: Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Post by: sjb on February 01, 2013, 05:27:38 AM

Quote from: Archy12345 on February 01, 2013, 04:45:57 AM

Nevermind this post. I figured it out.

Why not post question and answer to help others that may pass this way in future?

Title: Re: Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Post by: Archy12345 on February 01, 2013, 05:58:13 AM

That's a good point.

My question had to do with the last step of the process. Let's say you were making Chlorobenzene from Benzene and chlorine using Iron (III) Chloride as a catalyst.
I was confused as to which molecule/atom accepted the proton from the benzene ring. My problem was that if FeCl₃ accepted to proton then why would it not become CoCl₃. I was sure this way of thinking was wrong, and it was. The FeCl₃ donates its electron to a chlorine atom, and then the chlorine anion accepts the proton to make hydrogen chloride.

Title: Re: Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution
Post by: Dan on February 01, 2013, 06:06:16 AM

The proton (H⁺) does not enter the Fe nucleus.

FeCl₄^- + H⁺  :rarrow: FeCl₃ + HCl