When cumene is oxidised in the presence of air followed by treatment with dilute acid, the products obtained are

Options

A. Benzoic acid and Methanol
B. Phenol and Acetone
C. Benzoic acid and Acetone
D. Phenol and Acetaldehyde

Answer

To determine the products obtained when cumene (isopropyl benzene) is oxidized in the presence of air and then treated with dilute acid, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of Cumene
Cumene, also known as isopropyl benzene, has the following structure:
- It consists of a benzene ring with an isopropyl group (C3H7) attached to it.
- The molecular formula of cumene is C9H12.

### Step 2: Oxidation of Cumene
When cumene is oxidized in the presence of air, the oxidation primarily occurs at the tertiary carbon (the carbon atom attached to the isopropyl group). This carbon is a tertiary carbon, which is more stable and more likely to undergo oxidation.

- The oxidation of the tertiary carbon leads to the formation of a carbonyl group (C=O), resulting in the formation of acetone (CH3COCH3) and benzoic acid (C6H5COOH).

### Step 3: Treatment with Dilute Acid
After the oxidation, when the product mixture is treated with dilute acid (like dilute HCl), the following occurs:
- The acetone (CH3COCH3) can undergo further reaction due to the acidic conditions. The bond between the carbonyl carbon and the adjacent carbon can weaken, leading to the cleavage of the acetone molecule.
- This cleavage can result in the formation of phenol (C6H5OH) and benzoic acid (C6H5COOH).

### Final Products
Thus, the final products obtained from the oxidation of cumene followed by treatment with dilute acid are:
1. Benzoic acid (C6H5COOH)
2. Acetone (CH3COCH3)

### Summary of Products
- **Benzoic Acid**: C6H5COOH
- **Acetone**: CH3COCH3