Which of the following statements is (are) correct regarding aniline?

Options

A. It is more basic than ethylamine
B. It can be steam distilled
C. It reacts with `CH_(3)Cl//AlCl_(3)` to give -p- toluidine
D. If fairly soluble in water

Answer

To determine which statements regarding aniline are correct, we will analyze each statement based on the properties and behavior of aniline.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Aniline Structure**:
- Aniline is an aromatic amine with the chemical formula C6H5NH2. It consists of a phenyl group (C6H5) attached to an amino group (NH2).
- The structure can be represented as:
```
H
|
H-C6H5
|
NH2
```

2. **Basicity of Aniline**:
- Aniline is less basic than alkyl amines (like ethylamine) because the lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom can participate in resonance with the aromatic ring. This delocalization reduces the availability of the lone pair for protonation.
- In comparison, ethylamine has an ethyl group that donates electron density through the inductive effect, making it more basic.

3. **Analyzing the Statements**:
- **Statement 1**: Aniline is more basic than ethylamine.
- **Analysis**: This statement is incorrect. Aniline is less basic than ethylamine due to resonance stabilization.

- **Statement 2**: Aniline can be steam distilled.
- **Analysis**: This statement is correct. Aniline can be separated from other substances through steam distillation due to its volatility.

- **Statement 3**: The major product of aniline reacting with CH3Cl in the presence of AlCl3 is para-tolidine.
- **Analysis**: This statement is incorrect. The major product is ortho-tolidine due to the higher electron density at the ortho position from resonance.

- **Statement 4**: Aniline is fairly soluble in water.
- **Analysis**: This statement is also incorrect. Aniline has limited solubility in water due to the hydrophobic phenyl group, which hinders hydrogen bonding.

4. **Conclusion**:
- The only correct statement regarding aniline is **Statement 2**: Aniline can be steam distilled.

### Final Answer:
The correct statement regarding aniline is: **Statement 2** - Aniline can be steam distilled.

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