Question

The starting point for the manufacture of the anesthetic chloroform is:
A. Acetone
B. Formic acid
C. Chlorine
D. Carbon tetrachloride

Answer 1

Chloroform or trichloromethane is an organic compound of formula$CHC{{l}_{3}}$. It is a colorless, strong-smelling, dense liquid that is produced on a large scale in the world. It is a powerful anesthetic, anxiolytic, euphoriant, and sedative when inhaled or ingested by an individual.

Complete step by step answer:
Chloroform is prepared by both laboratory and industrial method. In industrial production, chloroform is prepared by heating a mixture of chlorine and either chloromethane ($C{{H}_{3}}Cl$) or methane ($C{{H}_{4}}$) at $500-600{}^\circ C$, a free radical halogenation occurs. Converting these precursors to more chlorinated products. The reactions are given below;
$C{{H}_{4}}+C{{l}_{2}}\to C{{H}_{3}}Cl+HCl$
$C{{H}_{3}}Cl+C{{l}_{2}}\to C{{H}_{2}}C{{l}_{2}}+HCl$
$C{{H}_{2}}C{{l}_{2}}+C{{l}_{2}}\to CHC{{l}_{3}}+HCl$
So the starting point for the manufacture of the anesthetic chloroform among the given options is chlorine.

So, the correct answer is Option C.

Additional Information:
Other than industrial and laboratory methods, many kinds of seaweed produce chloroform, and fungi are believed to produce chloroform in soil. The abiotic process is also believed to contribute to natural chloroform productions in soils, although the mechanism is still unclear.
Chloroform on the exposure of sunlight and air it converts phosgene, which is a poisonous gas, to prevent an accident, commercial chloroform is stabilized with ethanol or amylene, but the samples that have been recovered or dried does not contain these kinds of stabilizers. Phosgene can be removed from chloroform by washing with aqueous solutions, such as sodium bicarbonate solutions.

Note: Other than industrial processes, chloroform can be prepared in the laboratory by heating a mixture of bleaching powder of ethanol or acetone. In this reaction, bleaching powder acts as a chlorinating and oxidizing agent.