The intermediate compound ‘X’ in the following chemical reaction is :
Correct Answer :
C6H5CH(OCrOHCl2)2
Solution :
The given chemical reaction is the Etard reaction, which is used for the selective oxidation of the methyl group in toluene to an aldehyde group to form benzaldehyde.
Step-by-Step Reaction Mechanism:
1. Formation of the Intermediate:
When toluene () is treated with chromyl chloride () in a non-polar solvent like carbon disulfide (), the chromyl chloride oxidizes the methyl group of toluene. Two molecules of chromyl chloride add to the methyl carbon, forming a brown-colored chromium complex intermediate 'X'.
The chemical formula of this intermediate complex is:
2. Hydrolysis to Benzaldehyde:
Upon subsequent acidic hydrolysis using hydronium ions (), this chromium complex decomposed to yield benzaldehyde ().
Therefore, the intermediate compound 'X' is the chromium complex represented as .
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