Identify the wrong statement from the following

Options

A. Salicylic acid is a monobasic acid
B. Methyl salicylate is an ester
C. Salicylic acid gives violet colour with neutral ferric chloride as well as brisk effervescence with sodium bicarbonate
D. Methyl salicylate does not occur in natural oils

Answer

To identify the wrong statement from the given options regarding salicylic acid and methyl salicylate, we will analyze each statement one by one.

### Step 1: Analyze Statement A
**Statement A:** Salicylic acid is a monobasic acid.

- **Explanation:** Salicylic acid has the formula C7H6O3, which contains a carboxylic acid group (–COOH) and a hydroxyl group (–OH). A monobasic acid is defined as an acid that can donate only one proton (H+). In the case of salicylic acid, it can only donate one proton from the carboxylic acid group, making it a monobasic acid. Therefore, this statement is **true**.

### Step 2: Analyze Statement B
**Statement B:** Methyl salicylate is an ester.

- **Explanation:** Methyl salicylate is derived from salicylic acid where the hydrogen of the carboxylic acid group is replaced by a methyl group (–OCH3). The structure includes a carbonyl group (C=O) and an ether linkage (–O–), which are characteristic of esters. Thus, methyl salicylate is indeed an ester. Therefore, this statement is **true**.

### Step 3: Analyze Statement C
**Statement C:** Salicylic acid gives violet color with neutral ferric chloride as well as brisk effervescence with sodium bicarbonate.

- **Explanation:** Salicylic acid contains a phenolic hydroxyl group, which reacts with ferric chloride (FeCl3) to produce a violet complex, indicating the presence of phenols. Additionally, salicylic acid, being a carboxylic acid, reacts with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), resulting in brisk effervescence. Therefore, this statement is **true**.

### Step 4: Analyze Statement D
**Statement D:** Methyl salicylate does not occur in natural oils.

- **Explanation:** Methyl salicylate is actually found in natural oils, particularly in oil of wintergreen. It is used in flavoring and has a characteristic minty aroma. Therefore, the assertion that methyl salicylate does not occur in natural oils is **false**.

### Conclusion
Based on the analysis, the wrong statement is **D: Methyl salicylate does not occur in natural oils**.

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