Question

Benzyl chloride is converted to _________ using sodium hydroxide solution.
a) Phenol
b) o-chloromethyl phenol
c) p-chloromethyl phenol
d) benzyl alcohol

Answer 1

Hint: For identifying the end product of a reaction, look at the reagent provided in the question. Sodium hydroxide solution or aqueous NaOH is a strong base. Therefore, this reaction will result in a substitution product.

Complete step by step answer:
The data provided to us in the question is –
Benzyl chloride – reactant. It is a benzyl halide, in which the halogen acts as a leaving group.
Nucleophile – Sodium hydroxide solution or aqueous NaOH. It is a very good base and a strong nucleophile
In organic chemistry, we can predict the product for a chemical reaction by looking at the reaction compound and the reagent. Since we have a benzylic halide with a strong nucleophile, the reaction will proceed via SN2 mechanism and a substitution product will be formed.
Therefore, the hydroxyl group replaces the chloride group.
The reaction can be represented as –

Therefore, the answer is – option (d) – Benzyl Alcohol.

Additional Information:
Benzylic halides are the compounds in which the halogen is bonded to a $$s{p}^3$$ hybridized carbon atom next to an aromatic ring.

Note: There are two types of substitution reactions –
1) Substitution nucleophilic unimolecular
-It is also known as SN1 type reaction, because it is a first order reaction.
-It takes place in a polar protic solution.
-A weak nucleophile is needed in such reactions.

2) Substitution nucleophilic bimolecular
-It is also known as SN2 type reaction, because it is a second order reaction.
-It takes place in a polar aprotic solution.
-A strong nucleophile is needed in such reactions.