Baeyer’s strain theory successfully explained the relative stability of cyclic compounds having 6-membered rings (or more appropriately having 5-membered rings), but it failed to explain the stability of higher compounds. Since the valency deviation (d) of seven, eight. etc., membered rings is significantly high, these compounds should also be unstable; but the stability of these

If electron-withdrawing groups are present on the benzene ring of benzoic acid, the benzoate ion stabilises and acidity thus increases. This is attributed to inductive and resonance effects. In case of p-nitrobenzoic acid and its m-isomer, based on the inductive effect alone the m-isomer would be assumed to be stronger than the p-isomer but the reverse is also true.

Presence of electron releasing groups on the benzene ring of aromatic amines enhances the electron density on nitrogen, thus increase the basicity. On the contrary, presence of electron withdrawing groups reduces the basicity of amines. Presence of −NO2 group indicates −I and −R effect, thus enhancing the delocalization of lone pair on nitrogen with π-electrons of the benzene ring system

Some of the phenols discussed below are: Cresols, Resorcinol, and Naphthols. Cresols Cresols (or hydroxytoluene) belonging to the family of methyl phenols have the molecular formula C7H8O. They are aromatic organic compounds which either occur naturally or are manufactured. Cresols are obtained as a mixture of three stereoisomers (molecules having same number and type of