Question
Question: Reduction of nitrobenzene by which of the following reagents gives aniline? (A) \( Sn \) / \( HCl ...
Reduction of nitrobenzene by which of the following reagents gives aniline?
(A) Sn / HCl
(B) Fe / HCl
(C) H2−Pd
(D) Sn / NH4OH
Solution
Hint : Reduction is the chemical reaction in which one of the atoms involved in a reaction between two chemicals gains electrons. It is also when a substance loses oxygen.
Complete Step By Step Answer:
The organic compound nitrobenzene has the chemical formula C6H5NO2 . It is a pale-yellow oil that is insoluble in water and smells like almonds. Greenish-yellow crystals form when it freezes. It is made on a wide scale as a precursor to aniline from benzene. It is sometimes used as a solvent in the laboratory, especially for electrophilic reagents.
The organic compound aniline has the formula C6H5NH2 . Aniline is the simplest aromatic amine, consisting of a phenyl group bound to an amino group. It is a versatile starting material for fine chemical synthesis as well as an industrially important commodity chemical.
Sn and concentrated HCl convert nitrobenzene to aniline. We can represent this chemical reaction as follows:
C6H5NO2Sn,HClNaOHC6H5NH2
Fe or Zn may be used instead of Sn . This reaction produces aniline salt. The aniline salt is then treated with aqueous NaOH to release the aniline.
Reduction of nitrobenzene by H2−Pd reagent also gives aniline. That is,
C6H5NO2H2−PdEthanolC6H5NH2
Sn / NH4OH won’t give aniline.
Hence, we found that nitrobenzene converted to aniline by reacting it with the following reagents:
Sn / HCl
Fe / HCl
H2−Pd
So, the answer is A, B, and C.
Note :
Benzene is a colorless, transparent liquid that is highly flammable and volatile. The organic compound aniline is a yellowish to brownish oily liquid with a musty fishy odor. Ammonia and phenol extracted from the cumene process can also be used to make aniline.