Why do aromatic compounds undergo substitution rather than addition reactions?

1 Answer
Mar 3, 2018

I am giving the example of Benzene to explain the answer.

Explanation:

Benzene undergoes substitution rather than addition reactions

because addition reactions disrupt the delocolisation of the pi

molecular orbital which then results in the stability of the benzene

compound being reduced whereas substitution reactions only

cause temporary disruption and so the stability of the benzene

compound can be maintained.