Phenol reacts with benzoyl chloride in the presence of dilute `NaOH` to form

Options

A. diphenyl ether
B. acetophenone
C. `alpha-`hydroxybenzophenone
D. Phenyl benzoate

Explanation

To solve the problem of how phenol reacts with benzoyl chloride in the presence of dilute NaOH, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactants in this reaction are phenol (C6H5OH) and benzoyl chloride (C6H5COCl).

2. **Understand the Role of Dilute NaOH**:
- Dilute NaOH acts as a base that helps deprotonate phenol, making it a better nucleophile. This allows it to attack the carbonyl carbon of benzoyl chloride.

3. **Draw the Structure of Phenol**:
- Phenol can be represented as:
```
OH
|
C6H5 - C6H5
```

4. **Draw the Structure of Benzoyl Chloride**:
- Benzoyl chloride can be represented as:
```
O
||
C6H5 - C - Cl
```

5. **Nucleophilic Attack**:
- The oxygen atom of the phenol (which is now negatively charged after deprotonation) attacks the carbonyl carbon of benzoyl chloride, leading to the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate.

6. **Elimination of HCl**:
- The tetrahedral intermediate collapses, resulting in the elimination of HCl (hydrochloric acid) and forming the ester.

7. **Formation of Phenyl Benzoate**:
- The final product of this reaction is phenyl benzoate, which can be represented as:
```
O
||
C6H5 - C - O - C6H5
```

8. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the reaction of phenol with benzoyl chloride in the presence of dilute NaOH yields phenyl benzoate.

### Final Answer:
The product formed is **phenyl benzoate**.

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