When a mixture of calcium benzoate and calcium acetate is dry distilled, the resulting compound is

Options

A. Acetophenone
B. Benzaldehyde
C. Benzophenone
D. Acetaldehyde

Explanation

To solve the problem of what compound is formed when a mixture of calcium benzoate and calcium acetate is dry distilled, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Reactants**:
- We have two calcium salts: calcium benzoate (C6H5COO)2Ca and calcium acetate (CH3COO)2Ca.
- Calcium benzoate is derived from benzoic acid, and calcium acetate is derived from acetic acid.

2. **Dry Distillation Process**:
- Dry distillation involves heating the mixture without the presence of water, leading to the decomposition of the compounds and the formation of new products.
- In this process, the calcium salts will decompose to form carbonyl compounds.

3. **Decomposition of Calcium Benzoate**:
- When calcium benzoate is heated, it decomposes to produce benzoic acid and calcium oxide, along with carbon dioxide (CO2).
- The reaction can be summarized as follows:
\[ (C6H5COO)2Ca \rightarrow C6H5COOH + CaO + CO2 \]

4. **Decomposition of Calcium Acetate**:
- Similarly, calcium acetate decomposes to form acetic acid and calcium oxide, along with carbon dioxide.
- The reaction can be summarized as follows:
\[ (CH3COO)2Ca \rightarrow CH3COOH + CaO + CO2 \]

5. **Formation of Carbonyl Compounds**:
- The benzoic acid and acetic acid produced can further react to form a new compound through a condensation reaction.
- The expected product from the combination of benzoic acid and acetic acid is acetophenone (C6H5COCH3).

6. **Final Product**:
- Therefore, the resulting compound from the dry distillation of a mixture of calcium benzoate and calcium acetate is **acetophenone**.

### Conclusion:
The final answer is acetophenone.