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Aromatic Hydrocarbons Chemical Properties

The aromatic hydrocarbons exhibit aromaticity. The chemical properties of aromatic hydrocarbons include the ability to exist in multiple resonance structures.

Aromatic hydrocarbons are unsaturated compounds, called alkenes, mainly formed by the bonding of carbon and hydrogen in a particular type of resonance structure. In the resonance structure of aromatic rings, the hydrogen atom connects with a single bond with one atom of carbon and a double bond with the other neighbourhood atom of carbon. Benzene is the parent compound of aromatic hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon cluster does not consist of a solely aromatic hydrocarbon; however, derivatives like alkylbenzene (C6H5CH3) and the state dimethyl aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives (CH3C6H4CH3) are utilised as solvents, further as within the production of medicine, plastics, and dyes.

Aromatic Rings 

  • Aromatic compounds are cyclic structures during which every ring atom could be a participant in an exceedingly delocalised π negatron density on each side of the ring.
  • Because of this linked system of pi bonds, the rings are planar, unlike the board structures typical of cycloalkanes.
  • The double bonds in the aromatic compounds are less doubtless to engage in additional reactions or bonds, like in alkenes. 
  • Although, some cyclic aromatic compounds go into electrophilic substitution reactions.

Chemical Properties of Aromatic Hydrocarbon

Aromatic compounds are usually non-ionic and incompatible with water. As they’re typically nonreactive, they’re helpful as solvents for different non-ionic compounds. Because of their high magnitude relation of carbon to elements, aromatic compounds have a specific jet-black yellow flame. The chemical properties of the aromatic hydrocarbons are below:

  • Aromatic hydrocarbons show aromaticity, which describes their stability. Moreover, the resonance structure of aromatic hydrocarbons also represents their strength. The overall ratio of carbons and hydrogen atoms is very high in aromatic compounds. When the heat passes through them, they start burning with a yellow flame and release coal-black ash in the end. 
  • Aromatic hydrocarbons go under two types of reactions: 
  1. Electrophilic substitution reactions
  2.  Nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions

In electrophilic substitutions, electrophile substitutes the functional group in aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. While in nucleophilic substitution, the nucleophile replaces the active group. 

  • The structure of aromatic hydrocarbons contains one double and single bond. 
  • For a high level of stability, aromatic hydrocarbons contain at least one conjugated ring. This conjugated ring either be of a single bond or double bond. 
  • Aromatic hydrocarbons also contain a certain amount of instability, as they have cyclic structures. In the cyclic structure of these compounds, whenever atoms form pi bonds, the whole network gets unstable. 
  • Aromatic hydrocarbon compounds undergo coupling reactions, substitution reactions, and other chemical reactions. The resonance structure of aromatic hydrocarbons contains double bonds; due to this, they do not experience many reactions. Their double bond breaks when reacting with the element, exhibiting high activation energy and positive charge. 
  • When two different aromatic hydrocarbons undergo substitution reactions, the functional group of one aromatic hydrocarbon substitutes the active group of another aromatic hydrocarbon compound. 

General Properties of Aromatic Hydrocarbons 

Due to the general properties of aromatic hydrocarbons, their origin dates back to coal and fossil fuel. They’ll conjointly exist within the style of the polyaromatic hydrocarbons that contain over one aromatic hydrocarbon. Their escape to the atmosphere creates pollution, and they have probably adverse effects on all varieties of life as they’re cancerous . Some general properties are:

  • All the amino acids and nucleotides contain precursors, similar to the aromatic hydrocarbons compounds. The aromatic hydrocarbons do not react with the water, and their atoms do not make any bond with water. 
  • Due to the high stability in the resonance structure of aromatic hydrocarbons, they do not react with different organic and inorganic compounds.
  • Due to the less reactivity of aromatic hydrocarbons, they are popular in industries. They are suitable solvents in the reactions of non-polar compounds.
  • The aromatic hydrocarbons contain the night ratio of carbons atoms to the hydrogens atoms. Due to the high proportion of carbon, they release carbon in high amounts while burning. 
  • Aromatic hydrocarbons contain multiple bonds like single, double, and triple bonds. Due to this, they show the nature of unsaturated compounds. 
  • Also, due to the presence of multiple bonds, aromatic hydrocarbons exhibit the nature of alkenes. 
  • When a significant amount of heat passes into the aromatic hydrocarbons, their atoms start desaturating. Hence, in this condition, they undergo some other additional reactions. 
  • When aromatic hydrocarbons undergo different reactions, they lose their atomicity, weakening their resonance structure. 
  • The resonance structure of aromatic rings is two-dimensional due to the excellent network of pi bonds.

Conclusion

Aromatic hydrocarbons are the main compounds of organic chemistry. Most organic chemistry reactions occur using these compounds. However, these compounds help form various things like making detergents and many more. The overall resonance structure of aromatic rings is very stable due to double bonds. Compounds that show aromaticity can undergo nucleophilic aromatic substitutions and electrophilic substitution reactions. In electrophilic substitutions, electrophile substitutes the functional group in aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. While in nucleophilic substitution, the nucleophile replaces the active group.

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