Conversion of Salicylic acid to benzene

Explanation

To convert salicylic acid to benzene, we will follow a two-step process involving decarboxylation and reduction. Here’s the step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Decarboxylation of Salicylic Acid
1. **Starting Material**: Salicylic acid (C7H6O3) has a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) attached to a benzene ring.
2. **Reagents**: We will use soda lime, which is a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and calcium oxide (CaO).
3. **Reaction**: The decarboxylation reaction will remove the -COOH group from salicylic acid.
\[
\text{C}_7\text{H}_6\text{O}_3 \xrightarrow{\text{NaOH + CaO}} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} + \text{Na}_2\text{CO}_3 + \text{H}_2\text{O}
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