Acetaldehyde reacts with `Cl_(2)` ( in excess) to give `:`

Options

A. Chloral
B. Chloroform
C. Acetic acid
D. Trichloroacetic acid

Answer

To solve the problem of what product is formed when acetaldehyde reacts with excess chlorine, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
Acetaldehyde (CH₃CHO) is the starting material. Its structure can be represented as:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CHO} \]

2. **Understand the Reaction with Chlorine**:
When acetaldehyde reacts with chlorine (Cl₂), it undergoes halogenation. In the presence of excess chlorine, acetaldehyde will react multiple times.

3. **Formation of Enol and Keto Forms**:
Acetaldehyde can exist in two forms: keto form (which is more stable) and enol form. The keto form is:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{C(=O)H} \]
The enol form, which is less stable, is:
\[ \text{CH}_2=CH(OH) \]

4. **First Reaction with Chlorine**:
In the first step, chlorine reacts with the enol form of acetaldehyde. The double bond in the enol form attacks a chlorine molecule, leading to the formation of a chlorinated product:
\[ \text{CH}_2=CH(Cl)OH \]

5. **Subsequent Reactions**:
Since we have excess chlorine, the reaction continues. The chlorine replaces the hydrogen atoms in the enol form. The next step results in the formation of a dichlorinated product:
\[ \text{CCl}_2\text{C(=O)H} \]

6. **Final Product Formation**:
Continuing this process, the final product after several reactions will be chloral (CCl₃CHO), which is a trichloroacetaldehyde. The structure of chloral is:
\[ \text{CCl}_3\text{CHO} \]

### Conclusion:
The final product formed when acetaldehyde reacts with excess chlorine is **Chloral (CCl₃CHO)**.