Anisole reacts with a mixture of concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids in nitration, yielding a mixture of ortho and para nitroanisole as the product.
How does anisole react in nitration, and what is the product obtained when it reacts with a mixture of concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids?
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Anisole undergoes nitration, an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction, when treated with a mixture of concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids (a nitrating mixture). The methoxy group (OCH₃) activates the benzene ring, making it susceptible to electrophilic attack by the nitronium ion (NO₂⁺). The nitration typically occurs at the ortho and para positions to the methoxy group, resulting in a mixture of ortho-nitroanisole and para-nitroanisole. The presence of the methoxy group influences the regioselectivity of nitration, leading to a higher proportion of para-substituted product compared to nitration in benzene without an activating group.