chlorination of nitrobenzene under conditions of electrophilic aromatic substitution occurs?

a. Faster than chlorination of benzene and gives a mixture containing mostly o- and p-chloronitrobenzene.
b. faster than chlorination benzene and gives mostly m-chloronitrobenzene.
c. slower than chlorination of benzene and gives a mixture containing mostly o- and p-chloronitrobenzene.
d. slower than chlorination of benzene and gives mostly m-chloronitrobenzene

I believe the nitro group is a deactivating group; thus, the reaction is metal-directing plus the reaction is slower. You may want a second opinion since I'm not an o chemist. Look in your organic text under nitrobenzene and see if you can confirm that.

To determine the correct answer, let's break down the process of electrophilic aromatic substitution, specifically chlorination of nitrobenzene.

1. Nitrobenzene is more electron-withdrawing compared to benzene due to the presence of the nitro group (-NO2). This results in a decrease in electron density on the benzene ring.

2. In electrophilic aromatic substitution, an electrophile (such as a chlorine molecule) reacts with the electron-rich benzene ring to substitute a hydrogen atom.

Now, let's consider the options provided:

a. Faster than chlorination of benzene and gives a mixture containing mostly o- and p-chloronitrobenzene.
This statement is incorrect. Chlorination of nitrobenzene is actually slower than chlorination of benzene.

b. Faster than chlorination of benzene and gives mostly m-chloronitrobenzene.
This statement is incorrect as well. Chlorination of nitrobenzene does not predominantly result in m-chloronitrobenzene.

c. Slower than chlorination of benzene and gives a mixture containing mostly o- and p-chloronitrobenzene.
This statement is correct. Due to the electron-withdrawing nature of the nitro group, nitrobenzene undergoes chlorination at a slower rate compared to benzene. Additionally, the electron-withdrawing effect of the nitro group directs the incoming chlorine atom to the ortho (o-) and para (p-) positions, resulting in a mixture containing mostly o- and p-chloronitrobenzene.

d. Slower than chlorination of benzene and gives mostly m-chloronitrobenzene.
This statement is incorrect. As mentioned previously, chlorination of nitrobenzene does not predominantly yield m-chloronitrobenzene.

Therefore, the correct answer is option c: Slower than chlorination of benzene and gives a mixture containing mostly o- and p-chloronitrobenzene.