Why Meta Directors Slow Aromatic Reactions

Meta-directing groups slow down electrophilic aromatic substitution on an aromatic ring. These substituents are deactivating because they withdraw electrons from the ring. As a result, the ring becomes less reactive toward electrophiles.

A clear example is nitrobenzene. Its nitration is about 100...

The meta directors are also known as deactivating groups because they decrease the reactivity of an aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution.

For example, nitration of nitrobenzene occurs more slowly than benzene. Therefore, nitro is a deactivating group.

Deactivation by meta directors can be understood by...