Conversion of Phenol into benzoic acid

Explanation

To convert phenol into benzoic acid, we can follow a series of steps involving reduction, alkylation, and oxidation. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

### Step 1: Reduction of Phenol to Benzene
- **Reaction**: Treat phenol with zinc dust.
- **Process**: The zinc dust acts as a reducing agent, removing the hydroxyl (–OH) group from phenol, resulting in the formation of benzene.
- **Equation**:
\[
\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} \xrightarrow{\text{Zn dust}} \text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + \text{H}_2\text{O}
...