NEET 2010 Chemistry question
Among the given compounds, the most susceptible to nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl group is:
Answer: (4)
Solution
Nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon is easier when this carbon is more electron deficient and the leaving group is better. In the chlorine atom is strongly electron withdrawing (-I) and its lone pairs overlap poorly with the carbonyl (3p-2p mismatch), so there is very little resonance
See the full step-by-step solution
Create a free account to read the complete working, and practise questions like this in a timed test.
Create a free account