Question

Out of benzene and toluene which will undergo nitration more easily and why

Answer 1

Nitration of benzene is an electrophilic substitution reaction. Presence of electron releasing group such as —$CH_{ 3 }$ activates the benzene nucleus towards electrophilic substitution while presence of electron withdrawing group such as —$NO_{ 2 }$ deactivates the benzene nucleus towards electrophilic substitution. Therefore, the ease of nitration decreases in the order

Toluene > benzene > m-dinitrobenzene

Thus, toluene will undergo nitration most easily.