Question

Is the following statement true or false?

"Because benzene is highly unsaturated, it can undergo regular reactions of alkenes, such as addition or oxidation."

A) True, benzene reacts similarly to alkenes.

B) False, benzene does not undergo reactions typical of alkenes.

C) True, but only under high pressure conditions.

D) False, benzene reacts more readily than alkenes.

Answer 1

The statement is false; benzene, although unsaturated, does not undergo typical alkene reactions such as addition. It favors substitution reactions and has unique stability due to its delocalized double bonds in the aromatic ring.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement "Because benzene is highly unsaturated, it can undergo regular reactions of alkenes, such as addition or oxidation" is false. While benzene (C6H6) has a formula that suggests a high degree of unsaturation, it does not behave like typical alkenes. The unique stability of the benzene ring, due to its alternating single and double C-C bonds, makes benzene resistant to reactions such as bromine addition, which is a test for unsaturation. Instead, benzene and other aromatic compounds favor substitution reactions over addition reactions.

Aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene have special properties that differentiate them from unsaturated hydrocarbons like alkenes. In benzene and its derivatives, the delocalized double bonds are preserved during substitution, which supports the conservation of the ring's stability.