Benzene reacts with `CH_(3)Cl` in the presence of anyhydrous `AlCl_(3)` to form

Options

A. Xylene
B. Toluene
C. Chlorobenzene
D. Benzylchloride

Explanation

To solve the problem of what product is formed when benzene reacts with CH₃Cl in the presence of anhydrous AlCl₃, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactants in this reaction are benzene (C₆H₆) and chloromethane (CH₃Cl).

2. **Understand the Role of Anhydrous AlCl₃**:
- Anhydrous AlCl₃ acts as a Lewis acid catalyst. It helps in generating a more reactive species from CH₃Cl, which is crucial for the reaction to proceed.

3. **Formation of the Methyl Cation**:
- When CH₃Cl reacts with AlCl₃, it forms a methyl cation (CH₃⁺) and AlCl₄⁻. The reaction can be represented as:
\[ CH₃Cl + AlCl₃ \rightarrow CH₃^+ + AlCl₄^- \]

4. **Electrophilic Attack on Benzene**:
- The benzene ring, being rich in π electrons, acts as a nucleophile. The methyl cation (CH₃⁺) will attack the benzene ring, resulting in the formation of a sigma complex (also known as an arenium ion).

5. **Formation of Toluene**:
- The sigma complex will then lose a proton (H⁺) to restore aromaticity. The final product of this reaction is toluene (C₆H₅CH₃). The overall reaction can be summarized as:
\[ C₆H₆ + CH₃Cl \xrightarrow{AlCl₃} C₆H₅CH₃ + HCl \]

6. **Identify the By-product**:
- Along with toluene, hydrochloric acid (HCl) is generated as a by-product of the reaction.

### Final Answer:
The product formed when benzene reacts with CH₃Cl in the presence of anhydrous AlCl₃ is **toluene (C₆H₅CH₃)**.

---