Benzene and toluene are both aromatic hydrocarbons, which means they contain a ring of carbon atoms with alternating single and double bonds, and they exhibit resonance stabilization. The key difference between the two compounds is the presence of a methyl group in toluene.Benzene is a simple aromatic ring with the molecular formula C6H6. It has six carbon atoms in a hexagonal ring, with each carbon atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. The ring has three double bonds, which are delocalized across the entire ring due to resonance, giving benzene its characteristic stability and aromaticity.Toluene, on the other hand, has the molecular formula C7H8. It is structurally similar to benzene, with the same hexagonal ring of carbon atoms. However, one of the hydrogen atoms in benzene is replaced by a methyl group CH3 in toluene. This substitution does not affect the aromaticity of the compound, as the delocalized electrons are still present in the ring.In terms of reactivity with electrophiles, both benzene and toluene undergo electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions. However, the reactivity of the two compounds differs due to the presence of the methyl group in toluene. The methyl group is an electron-donating group, which means it can donate electron density to the aromatic ring. This increases the electron density of the ring, making it more nucleophilic and more reactive towards electrophiles.Additionally, the methyl group in toluene directs electrophilic substitution reactions to specific positions on the aromatic ring. The electron-donating effect of the methyl group makes the ortho and para positions the carbon atoms directly adjacent to and opposite the methyl group, respectively more electron-rich and more susceptible to electrophilic attack. As a result, toluene tends to undergo electrophilic substitution reactions at the ortho and para positions, whereas benzene does not exhibit this positional selectivity.In summary, both benzene and toluene are aromatic compounds, but toluene has a methyl group that makes it more reactive towards electrophiles and directs electrophilic substitution reactions to the ortho and para positions on the aromatic ring.