What is the major organic product formed upon the mono-nitration of -nitrotoluene using a mixture of — Aromatic Hydrocarbons Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

In $p$ -nitrotoluene, the methyl group is an activating, ortho/para director. The nitro group is a strongly deactivating, meta director. The positions ortho to the methyl group are the same as the positions meta to the nitro group. Because both groups reinforce each other (synergistic effect) and the activating group controls orientation, the incoming nitronium ion attacks ortho to the methyl group, yielding 2,4-dinitrotoluene.