Benzoic acid when heated with soda lime yields

Options

A. benzaldehyde
B. benzene
C. toluene
D. benzyla alcohol

Explanation

To solve the question of what benzoic acid yields when heated with soda lime, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactant in this case is benzoic acid (C₆H₅COOH).
- Soda lime is a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and calcium oxide (CaO).

2. **Understand the Reaction**:
- When benzoic acid is heated with soda lime, it undergoes a process known as decarboxylation. This process involves the removal of the carboxyl group (-COOH) from the benzoic acid.

3. **Mechanism of Decarboxylation**:
- In decarboxylation, the carboxyl group of benzoic acid is converted into carbon dioxide (CO₂) and a hydrocarbon.
- The reaction can be summarized as:
\[ \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{COOH} + \text{NaOH} \xrightarrow{\Delta} \text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + \text{Na}_2\text{CO}_3 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]
- Here, benzoic acid loses CO₂ and forms benzene (C₆H₆).

4. **Final Product**:
- The main product of this reaction is benzene.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, when benzoic acid is heated with soda lime, it yields benzene.

### Final Answer:
Benzoic acid when heated with soda lime yields benzene (C₆H₆).