The oxidation of benzyl chloride with lead nitrate gives

Options

A. Benzyl alcohol
B. Benzoic acid
C. Benzaldehyde
D. p-chlorobenzaldehyde

Explanation

To solve the question regarding the oxidation of benzyl chloride with lead nitrate, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactant is benzyl chloride, which has the chemical formula C6H5CH2Cl.
- The oxidizing agent is lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2).

2. **Understand the Reaction**:
- Benzyl chloride contains a benzyl group (C6H5CH2-) and a chlorine atom (Cl).
- When oxidized, the chlorine atom can be replaced by a carbonyl group (C=O), which is characteristic of aldehydes.

3. **Determine the Type of Oxidation**:
- Lead nitrate is a mild oxidizing agent. It can oxidize benzyl chloride to benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) but not further to benzoic acid (C6H5COOH) because it does not have the strength to oxidize beyond the aldehyde stage.

4. **Write the Balanced Reaction**:
- The oxidation of benzyl chloride with lead nitrate can be represented as:
\[ \text{C6H5CH2Cl} + \text{Pb(NO3)2} \rightarrow \text{C6H5CHO} + \text{HNO2} + \text{PbCl2} \]
- Here, benzyl chloride is converted to benzaldehyde, and byproducts include lead chloride and nitrous acid.

5. **Identify the Product**:
- The main product of the reaction is benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO).

### Final Answer:
The oxidation of benzyl chloride with lead nitrate gives **benzaldehyde**.

---