AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS In general, to name an aromatic

compound, you can follow these steps:

Aromatic Hydrocarbons are
circularly structured organic compounds that 1. Identify and name the parent. If it is
contain sigma bonds along with delocalized not one of the common names,
pi electrons. They are also referred to as then use benzene.
arenes or aryl hydrocarbons 2. Identify and name the substituents.
The aromatic hydrocarbons are 3. Number the ring to give the
“unsaturated hydrocarbons which have one substituents the smallest possible
or more planar six-carbon rings called number.
benzene rings, to which hydrogen atoms 4. Put the substituents alphabetically
are attached”. followed by the parent name.
Many aromatic hydrocarbons contain a
benzene ring: PROPERTIES OF AROMATIC
HYDROCARBONS
“The first compound that was
categorized as an aromatic
hydrocarbon was benzene”. It is the
NAMING AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS most complex aryl hydrocarbon.
Mono-substituted Derivatives of Benzene  These compounds exhibit
Benzene is the “first and simplest” aromaticity.
aromatic compound and many mono-  The ratio of carbon atoms to
substituted derivatives of benzene are hydrogen atoms is relatively high.
named systematically by adding the name  When burnt, the aromatic
of the substituent to “benzene” which is the hydrocarbons display a strong and
parent: For examples: sooty flame which is yellow.
 These compounds generally
undergo electrophilic substitutions
and nucleophilic aromatic
substitution reactions.
Di-substituted Derivatives of Benzene
REACTIONS OF AROMATIC HC
Some di-substituted benzene rings
also have common names, and the first Aromatic Substitution
thing here is to know the relative positions
of ortho, meta, and para: These reactions involve the
replacement of one substituent on the
ring of an aromatic hydrocarbon,
commonly a hydrogen atom, by a
different substituent group.
Coupling Reactions
Organic reactions that involve the
joining of two chemical species with the
help of a metal catalyst.
 carbon-carbon bonds
 carbon-oxygen bonds
 carbon-nitrogen bonds
Hydrogenation Reactions
The hydrogenation reactions
involving arenes generally lead to the
formation of saturated rings.
USES
 The nucleic acids and amino acids in
the human body consist of these
aromatic hydrocarbons.
 Methylbenzene which is an aromatic
hydrocarbon is used as a solvent in
model glues
 Naphthalene is an important item in
the production of mothballs
 Trinitrotoluene or TNT is a very
important aromatic hydrocarbon
which is widely used for explosive
purposes
 Plastic industry and petrochemical
industries make use of aromatic
hydrocarbons extensively.