Question

Which statement is incorrect regarding the reaction of benzene with an electrophile? View Available Hint(s) A) The carbocation intermediate loses a proton from the carbon bonded to the electrophile. B) Carbocation formation is the rate-determining step. C) Benzene functions as a nucleophile. D) The carbocation intermediate reacts with a nucleophile to form the addition product.

Answer 1

Answer:

The carbocation intermediate reacts with a nucleophile to form the addition product.

Explanation:

The reaction of benzene with an electrophile is an electrophillic substitution reaction. Here the electrophile replaces hydrogen. There is no formation of carbocation as intermediate in the reaction. Infact there is transition state where the electorphile attacks on benzene ring and at the same time the hydrogen gets removed from the benzene. So a transition carbocation is formed.

The general mechanism is shown in the figure.

i) Attack of the electrophile on the benzene (which is the nucleophile)

ii) The carbocation intermediate loses a proton from the carbon bonded to the electrophile.

iii) the carbocation formation is the rate determining step.

iv) There is no formation of addition product.

Thus the wrong statement is

The carbocation intermediate reacts with a nucleophile to form the addition product.