Question

 Account for the following: 

(i) Aniline is weaker base than methylamine. 

(ii) Aryl cyanides cannot be formed by the reaction of aryl halides and sodium cyanide.

Answer 1

(i) Aniline is a weaker base than methyl compound In case of aniline, the lone pair is delocalised on the ring and hence it is less basic.

Cl^– is a stronger base than CN^– hence the reaction can take place, + there is not sufficient + ve on the for nucleophilic substitute to take place.