Define Raschig Process

Answer

### Step-by-Step Text Solution for the Definition of Raschig Process

1. **Introduction to Raschig Process**:
The Raschig process, also known as Raschig Hooker's process, is a chemical method primarily used for the production of phenol.

2. **Starting Material**:
The process begins with benzene as the starting material. Benzene is a simple aromatic hydrocarbon.

3. **Production of Chlorobenzene**:
The first step in the Raschig process involves the chlorination of benzene. This is achieved by reacting benzene with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and oxygen (O2) in the presence of a catalyst, copper(II) chloride (CuCl2). The balanced chemical equation for this reaction can be represented as:
\[ \text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + 2 \text{HCl} + \text{O}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{CuCl}_2} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{Cl} + 2 \text{H}_2\text{O} \]
Here, chlorobenzene (C6H5Cl) is formed along with water (H2O).

4. **Hydrolysis of Chlorobenzene**:
The next step involves the hydrolysis of chlorobenzene to produce phenol. This process typically requires heating chlorobenzene with water, which leads to the substitution of the chlorine atom with a hydroxyl group (-OH), resulting in the formation of phenol (C6H5OH).

5. **Overall Reaction**:
The overall reaction for the Raschig process can be summarized as follows:
\[ \text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + 2 \text{HCl} + \text{O}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{CuCl}_2} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{Cl} + 2 \text{H}_2\text{O} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{O}} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} \]
This shows the transformation from benzene to phenol through chlorobenzene.

6. **Conclusion**:
In summary, the Raschig process is a two-step chemical process that converts benzene into phenol via chlorobenzene as an intermediate.