NEET Chemistry (general) MCQ Question
Which of the following statements about the behavior of chlorine in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions is correct?
Chlorine is an electron withdrawing group but is ortho- and para-directing due to resonance.
Chlorine acts solely as an electron withdrawing group, causing complete deactivation.
Chlorine stabilizes the carbocation through inductive effect, leading to greater reactivity.
Chlorine enhances the rate of reaction by destabilizing the intermediate carbocation.
Correct Answer
Detailed Explanation
Chlorine withdraws electrons through inductive effect, which destabilizes the carbocation, but it also provides a stabilizing resonance effect at the ortho- and para- positions, making it ortho- and para-directing despite its overall deactivating nature.
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