Question Details

The intermediate compound ‘X’ in the following chemical reaction is :

Options

A

B

C

D

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 (C6H5CH3) is treated with chromyl chloride (CrO2Cl2) in a non-polar solvent like carbon disulfide (CS2), 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:
C6H5CH(OCrOHCl2)2

2. Hydrolysis to Benzaldehyde:
Upon subsequent acidic hydrolysis using hydronium ions (H3O+), this chromium complex decomposed to yield benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO).

Therefore, the intermediate compound 'X' is the chromium complex represented as C6H5CH(OCrOHCl2)2.

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