Question:
Which of the following is an appropriate set of reactants for the preparation of 1-methoxy-4-nitrobenzene and why?
(i)
(ii)
Solution:
Set (ii) is an appropriate set of reactants for the preparation of 1-methoxy-4-nitrobenzene.
In set (i), sodium methoxide (CH3ONa) is a strong nucleophile as well as a strong base. Hence, an elimination reaction predominates over a substitution reaction.