Regarding the potential energy diagram of standard electrophilic aromatic substitutions (like bromin — Aromatic Hydrocarbons Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

The arenium ion is a high-energy intermediate (higher than reactants/products) but sits in a local minimum between two transition states. The first TS is higher in energy than the second TS. The overall reaction is exothermic because aromaticity is restored. The intermediate is non-aromatic (due to the $sp^3$ carbon), not anti-aromatic.