When phenol reacts with phosphorus pentachloride, the main product is

Options

A. `C_(6)H_(5)Cl`
B. `(C_(6)H_(5))_(3)PO_(4)`
C. `(C_(6)H_(5))_(3)PO_(3)`
D. `C_(6)Cl_(6)`

Explanation

To determine the main product when phenol reacts with phosphorus pentachloride (PCl5), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Reactants
- **Phenol (C6H5OH)** is an aromatic compound with a hydroxyl (-OH) group attached to a benzene ring.
- **Phosphorus pentachloride (PCl5)** is a chlorinating agent that can react with alcohols and phenols.

### Step 2: Identify the Reaction
When phenol reacts with phosphorus pentachloride, the hydroxyl group (-OH) of phenol can be replaced by a chlorine atom. However, PCl5 can also lead to the formation of more complex products.

### Step 3: Determine the Products
1. **Chlorobenzene (C6H5Cl)**: This is formed when the hydroxyl group of phenol is replaced by a chlorine atom. However, this is not the major product.
2. **Triphenyl Phosphate (C18H15O4P)**: This is the major product formed when phenol reacts with PCl5. In this reaction, three phenol molecules react with one molecule of PCl5 to form triphenyl phosphate and phosphorus oxychloride (POCl3).

### Step 4: Write the Reaction Equation
The overall reaction can be summarized as:
\[ 3 C6H5OH + PCl5 \rightarrow C18H15O4P + 3 HCl \]

### Conclusion
The main product of the reaction between phenol and phosphorus pentachloride is **triphenyl phosphate (C18H15O4P)**.

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