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Grade 12th passOrganic Chemistry

what is the acidity order of: Ortho-Nitrobenzoic acid, Meta-Parabenzoic acid & Para-Nitrobenzoic acid?
Please also give the reason.

Profile image of Prathvi Singh
9 Years agoGrade 12th pass
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1 Answer

Profile image of Bhavishya
9 Years ago
The acidity increase of ortho-nitrobenzoic acid compared with para-nitrobenzoic acid is believed to be a result of the so called "ortho effect". The explanation is relying on the steric inhibition of the resonance of the COOH group. The ortho substituent may force the carboxyl group out of the plane of the benzene ring, thus decreasing the resonance of the molecule. At the same time carboxylate anion COO- is believed to be less stericaly hindered and more apt to be in the energetically favorable planar configuration. This makes an additional reason to the ortho substituted acid to pass to the anion form thereby increasing its acidity as compared with the meta and para substituted acids.