Q.

Which of the following arrangements with respect to their reactivity in nucleophilic addition reaction is correct    [2025]

1 p-nitrobenzaldehyde < benzaldehyde < p-tolualdehyde < acetophenone  
2 acetophenone < p-tolualdehyde < benzaldehyde < p-nitrobenzaldehyde  
3 benzaldehyde < acetophenone < p-nitrobenzaldehyde < p-tolualdehyde  
4 acetophenone < benzaldehyde < p-tolualdehyde < p-nitrobenzaldehyde  

Ans.

(2)

Lesser is crowding around C=O and more is partial positive charge on carbon of C=O, more is reactivity of carbonyl compounds towards nucleophilic addition. Electron withdrawing groups increase partial positive charge and electron releasing groups decrease partial positive charge on C=O.