(i) Presence of electron withdrawing substituent decreases the basicity while the presence of electron releasing substituent like, −CH3​,−C2​H5​ etc increases the acidity. (ii) HNO2​ converts −NH2​ group of alphatic amine into −OH while that of aromatic amines into −N=NCl Since, phenyl group is a electron withdrawing group, it decreases the basicity. Alkyl group, on the other hand, being electron releasing, increases the basicity. Thus, alkyl amines are more basic as compared to aryl amines as well as ammonia. R−NH2​HNO2​​R−OH Thus, HNO2​ (nitrous acid) converts alkyl amines to alcohols. But C6​H5​NH2​HNO2​​benzene diazonium chlorideC6​H5​N=NCl​ Thus, HNO2​ does not convert aryl amines into phenol.
