Trouble with this ochem question?

[teefRcool]

Hi guys i'm kinda lost in this problem i've been looking at it in one of my textbooks. Could someone help me out. Thanks here is it

A) meta-cyanophenol PKa=8.61
B) para-cyanophenol pKa=7.95

1) Whats the relationship between the pKa and acidity?
2) Which is the stronger acid A or B? This one i beleive is B if wrong please say so
3) What do the conjuage bases of these phenols look like?
4) what does the detailed stucture of the cyno group look like?
5) Describe the resonance forms of both conjugate bases
6) are the cyno groups involved in the resonance? if so how
7) what effect does resonance have on the relative acidity of A and B?

I'm a little lost thanks a lot if you could help.

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[thegymbum]

1) Whats the relationship between the pKa and acidity? lower pka = more acidic...
2) Which is the stronger acid A or B? This one i beleive is B if wrong please say so - you're right on the B
3) What do the conjuage bases of these phenols look like? The "h" is removed from the "OH" of the phenols..
4) what does the detailed stucture of the cyno group look like? C triply bonded to N
5) Describe the resonance forms of both conjugate bases - err.. not sure how to verbally describe that.. except that one of the electron pairs can form a double bond between the O and the C it's connected to.. that probably doesn't make any sense, sorry lol.
6) are the cyno groups involved in the resonance? yes, the electrons in the pi bonds can be delocalized
7) what effect does resonance have on the relative acidity of A and B? more resonance structures = stronger acid

Hope that was at least slightly helpful.. best of luck studying.