Question

Which of the two, NO₂CH₂CH₂O^⊖ or CH₃CH₂O^⊖ is expected to be more stable and why?

Answer 1

(I) is more stable than (II) because NO₂ group has -I effect and hence it tends to disperse the -ve charge on the 0-atom. In contrast., CH₃CH, has +I effect. It therefore, tends to intensify the -ve charge and hence destabilizes it.