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Chlorination Mechanism of Benzene

Chlorination Reaction Mechanism of Benzene
The chlorination of benzene is an important reaction in organic chemistry. Its reaction mechanism is complex and delicate, and it is necessary for chemistry students to explore.

Benzene has a unique cyclic conjugate system, and its six carbon atoms are connected by large π bonds, showing a stable structure. In the chlorination reaction, to break this stability, specific conditions and reagents are required.

The commonly used chlorination reagent is chlorine ($Cl_2 $), but only chlorine is difficult to react directly with benzene. A catalyst, such as ferric chloride ($FeCl_3 $) or aluminum chloride ($AlCl_3 $), needs to be introduced. The role of this catalyst is to polarize chlorine molecules.

When chlorine gas meets the catalyst, the metal atom of the catalyst (take $FeCl_3 $as an example), its empty orbit attracts one of the chlorine atoms of the chlorine molecule, causing the chlorine-chlorine bond to polarize. One of the chlorine atoms is partially positively charged, and the other is partially negatively charged.

The polarized chlorine molecule then interacts with the benzene ring. The π electron cloud of the benzene ring is nucleophilic and attacks the partially positively charged chlorine atom, forming a transition state. At this time, the conjugate system of the benzene ring is temporarily broken, forming a carbon positive ion intermediate. Although this intermediate is unstable, it is stabilized to a certain extent due to the conjugation effect of the benzene ring.

Subsequently, the carbon-positive ion intermediate removes a proton ($H ^ + $), and at the same time, the chlorine anion ($Cl ^ - $) bound to the metal chloride obtains this proton to generate hydrogen chloride ($HCl $). The benzene ring restores its stable conjugated structure and generates chlorobenzene.

In this process, although the catalyst participates in the reaction, the reaction ends, and its chemical properties and quality remain unchanged, so the catalytic reaction can continue.

In short, the chlorination reaction mechanism of benzene has undergone steps such as chlorine polarization, benzene ring nucleophilic attack, intermediate formation and proton elimination. It is delicate and complex, and is an important content of organic chemistry research.