Is an activated benzene ring (i.e. activated by an electron-donating substituent) more or less acidic?
Acidity is defined by dissociation to form H+ and an anion, A-. For benzene to dissociate to give an anion, it would need groups that stabilize anions, which would be electron-withdrawing groups. Electron-donating groups will destabilize A- (in most cases), making the aromatic ring LESS acidic. Please be aware that benzene rings are VERY weak acids. In fact, we really don’t consider them to be acids.