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JEE Advanced 2022 Paper 2 · Chemistry · General Organic Chemistry and Isomerism · medium

(s) about acidity and basicity of organic compounds (aqueous solution, 298 K).

One or more options correct

Choose the correct statement(s) about acidity and basicity of organic compounds (aqueous solution, 298 K298\ \mathrm{K}).
  1. A. The basic strength follows the order (CH3)2NH>CH3NH2>(CH3)3N>NH3(\mathrm{CH_3})_2\mathrm{NH}>\mathrm{CH_3NH_2}>(\mathrm{CH_3})_3\mathrm{N}>\mathrm{NH_3}.
  2. B. mm-Nitrophenol is a stronger acid than pp-nitrophenol.
  3. C. pp-Methoxybenzoic acid is a stronger acid than benzoic acid because of the +M+M effect of the methoxy group on the carboxylate.
  4. D. oo-Nitrobenzoic acid is a stronger acid than pp-nitrobenzoic acid.
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Answer: A, D

(A) True. In water, alkyl groups raise basicity by their +I+I effect, but solvation of the ammonium ion (fewest N-H bonds in the tertiary ion) and steric crowding offset this for the tertiary amine; the observed pKb\mathrm{p}K_b values are about 3.27, 3.38, 4.22 and 4.75 for dimethylamine, methylamine, trimethylamine and ammonia respectively. (For the ethylamines the order is different, (C2H5)2NH>(C2H5)3N>C2H5NH2>NH3(\mathrm{C_2H_5})_2\mathrm{NH}>(\mathrm{C_2H_5})_3\mathrm{N}>\mathrm{C_2H_5NH_2}>\mathrm{NH_3}.)
(B) False. The pp-nitro group stabilises the phenoxide by resonance (the negative charge reaches the nitro group), whereas the meta group acts only inductively. Hence pp-nitrophenol (pKa≈7.15\mathrm{p}K_a\approx7.15) is more acidic than mm-nitrophenol (≈8.4\approx8.4).
(C) False. The +M+M effect of OCH3\mathrm{OCH_3} at para destabilises the carboxylate, so the acid is weaker (pKa≈4.5\mathrm{p}K_a\approx4.5 against 4.24.2 for benzoic acid).
(D) True. The ortho effect (steric twisting of COOH\mathrm{COOH} out of the ring plane plus the strong −I-I of a close nitro group) makes the ortho isomer (pKa≈2.2\mathrm{p}K_a\approx2.2) stronger than the para isomer (≈3.4\approx3.4).
Correct options: (A) and (D).
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