How will you convert the following?
(1) Sodium acetate to methane
(2) Benzene to toluene

Explanation

(i) (1) Baeyer.s reagent is nothing but cold `KMnO_4` and dilute (1%) alkaline solution of This reagent is used in the qualitative test for unsaturation.
When this Baeyer.s reagent, which is purple in colour is added to an alkene, alkene gets oxidised to colourless glycol and `KMnO_4` is reduced to `MnO_2.`
The colour of the reagent gets discharged, confirming the presence of C= C double bond in the compound.
`3CH_3CH =CH_2+ 2 KMnO_4+4H_2O to `
Propene `3CH_3CHOHCH_2OH+ 2MnO_2 +2KOH`
Propane-1, 2-diol (Propylene glycol)
(2) To exhibit geometrical isomerism, relative orientation of the functional groups within the molecule is necessary. Alkenes have C-C fixed double bonds with relative orientation of the groups on either side, exhibiting two structural configurations which are distinguishable (cis and trans). While alkanes have C-C single bond and there is free rotation around the C-C single bond, hence it cannot exhibit geometrical isomerism.
Alkynes have C C triple bonds, the rotation around the C-C triple bond is hindered and the molecule is linear, and it cannot have enough substituents as single carbon cannot attach to more than four groups.
Therefore, alkanes and alkynes do not give geometrical isunnerism as alkenes.
(ii) (1) When sodium acetate reacts with soda lime, it gives methane.
`underset("Sodium acetate")(CH_(3)COONa)+underset("soda lime")(NaOH) overset(CaO//630K)to underset("Methane")(CH_(4)+Na_(2)CO_(3))`
(2) Conversion of ethane to butane involves two step. Step 1 is the photochemical halogenation of the ethane.
(3) `CH_(3)-CH_(3)+Br_(2) overset("presence of light")to underset("Ethyl bromide")(CH_(3)-CH_(2)-Br)+HBr` `underset("Ethyl bromide")(2 CH_(3)-CH_(2)-Br+2Na) overset("dry ether") underset("Butane")(CH_(3)CH_(2))-CH_(2)CH_(3)+2NaBr`
(3) Benzene is reacted with chloromethane in the presence of anhydrous aluminimum chloride as a catalyst to form toluence.