Question

Why is the intermediate compound in Sulfonation electrically more stable ?

(a) It contains negative charge

(b) It contains positive charge

(c) It’s neutral

(d) None of the mentioned

The question was posed to me during a job interview.

I'd like to ask this question from Kinetics, Mechanism and Thermodynamics in section Sulfonation and Sulfation of Unit Processes

Answer 1

Correct choice is (a) It contains negative charge

The explanation: The intermediate compound above is electrically neutral and, therefore, more stable than the analogous intermediates involved in nitration and halogenation, which bear positive charges.