Due to the decrease in electron density on the nitrogen atom, this salt deactivates the benzene ring towards further reaction. As a result, aniline does not undergo the Friedel-Crafts reaction.
Advertisements
Advertisements
Questions
Give reasons for the following:
Aniline does not undergo Friedel- Crafts reaction.
Account for the following:
Aniline does not undergo Friedel-Crafts reaction.
Why aniline does not undergo Friedel-Crafts reaction?
Advertisements
Solution 1
A Friedel-Crafts reaction is carried out in the presence of AlCl3. But AlCl3 is acidic in nature, while aniline is a strong base. Thus, aniline reacts with AlCl3 to form a salt (as shown in the following equation).

Due to the positive charge on the N-atom, electrophilic substitution in the benzene ring is deactivated. Hence, aniline does not undergo the Friedel-Crafts reaction.
Solution 2
The Friedel-Crafts reaction is an electrophilic substitution reaction that occurs in the presence of aluminium chloride (AlCl3) as a catalyst. AlCl3 acts as a Lewis acid, while aniline is a base. Therefore, their reaction forms a salt:
\[\ce{C6H5NH2 + AlCl3 -> \underset{(Salt)}{C6H5NH^+_2AlCl^-_3}}\]
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
What is the action of acetic anhydride on ethylamine?
What is the action of the following reagents on aniline?
Bromine water
Write the structures of main products when aniline reacts with the following reagents :
Br2 water
Write the chemical equations involved when aniline is treated with the following reagents:
Br2 water
Account for the following:
Although the amino group is o, p-directing in aromatic electrophilic substitution reactions, aniline on nitration gives a substantial amount of m-nitroaniline.
What is the action of acetic anhydride on diethylamine?
What is the action of the following reagents on aniline?
Acetic anhydride
What is the action of the following reagents on aniline?
Hot and conc. sulphuric acid
Illustrate the following reactions giving suitable example in each case
Acetylation of amines
How will you convert the following?
Aniline into N−phenylethanamide
In the nitration of benzene using a mixture of conc. \[\ce{H2SO4}\] and conc. \[\ce{HNO3}\], the species which initiates the reaction is ______.
What is the role of \[\ce{HNO3}\] in the nitrating mixture used for nitration of benzene?
A solution contains 1 g mol. each of p-toluene diazonium chloride and p-nitrophenyl diazonium chloride. To this 1 g mol. of alkaline solution of phenol is added. Predict the major product. Explain your answer.
When bromination of aniline is carried out by protecting – NH2. The major product is
Give reasons for the following observation:
Aniline is acetylated before nitration reaction.
Aniline does not give Friedel-Crafts reaction. Give a reason.
