Benzoic acid may be converted to ethyl benzoate by reaction with :-

Options

A. Sodium methoxide
B. Ethyl chloride
C. Dry HCl - `C_2H_5OH`
D. `C_3H_7OH`

Answer

To convert benzoic acid to ethyl benzoate, we need to perform an esterification reaction. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

### Step 1: Identify the Reactants
- **Benzoic Acid**: The structure of benzoic acid is C6H5COOH.
- **Ethanol**: The structure of ethanol is C2H5OH.

### Step 2: Understand the Esterification Reaction
Esterification is a chemical reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, resulting in the formation of an ester and water. The general reaction can be represented as:
\[ \text{RCOOH} + \text{R'OH} \rightarrow \text{RCOOR'} + \text{H2O} \]
Where:
- RCOOH is the carboxylic acid (benzoic acid in this case).
- R'OH is the alcohol (ethanol in this case).
- RCOOR' is the ester (ethyl benzoate).

### Step 3: Write the Reaction
The reaction for converting benzoic acid to ethyl benzoate can be written as:
\[ \text{C6H5COOH} + \text{C2H5OH} \rightarrow \text{C6H5COOC2H5} + \text{H2O} \]

### Step 4: Identify the Required Conditions
For the esterification reaction to proceed efficiently, an acidic medium is often used. This can be achieved by adding a small amount of concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) or using dry HCl gas as a catalyst.

### Step 5: Conclusion
Thus, the correct reactants to convert benzoic acid to ethyl benzoate are:
- **Benzoic Acid** (C6H5COOH)
- **Ethanol** (C2H5OH) in the presence of an acid catalyst (like HCl or H2SO4).

### Final Answer
Benzoic acid may be converted to ethyl benzoate by reaction with **ethanol** (C2H5OH) in the presence of an acid catalyst.

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