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What is an activator in electrophilic aromatic substitution?
Accepted Answer
An activator in electrophilic aromatic substitution is a substituent on an aromatic ring that increases the rate of the reaction. Activators donate electron density to the ring, making it more nucleophilic and therefore more reactive towards electrophiles. Examples of common activators include alkyl groups, alkoxy groups, and amino groups. These groups have lone pairs of electrons that can delocalize into the aromatic ring, increasing its electron density and making it more susceptible to attack by electrophiles.
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