Halogenation
- The nature of benzene is different to other unsaturated compounds such as alkenes and halogenation via electrophilic addition is not possible
- Therefore aromatic compounds will react with halogens in the presence of a metal halide carrier
- iron(III) bromide
- aluminium chloride
- The reaction of the metal halide carrier acts as a catalyst and creates the electrophile, X+ (where X represents a halogen atom)
- At the end of the reaction, it is regenerated
AlCl3 + Cl2 → AlCl4- + Cl+
FeBr3 + Br2 → FeBr4- + Br+
- The overall equation for halogenation is
C6H6 + X2 → C6H5X + HX
- Remember that one hydrogen atom on the benzene ring has been substituted for one halogen atom, therefore HX will be a product
- The electrophilic substitution reactions follow the same pattern as the general mechanism