How will you Convert Phenol to Aniline?

Answer

To convert phenol to aniline, we can follow a series of chemical reactions. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

### Step 1: Convert Phenol to Benzene
- **Reaction**: Treat phenol with zinc dust and heat.
- **Chemical Equation**:
\[ \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} + \text{Zn} \xrightarrow{\text{heat}} \text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + \text{ZnO} \]
- **Explanation**: The zinc dust reduces phenol (C₆H₅OH) to benzene (C₆H₆) by removing the hydroxyl (-OH) group.

### Step 2: Nitration of Benzene
- **Reaction**: Treat benzene with a mixture of concentrated nitric acid (HNO₃) and concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).
- **Chemical Equation**:
\[ \text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + \text{HNO}_3 \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{NO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]
- **Explanation**: This step introduces a nitro group (-NO₂) to the benzene ring, resulting in nitrobenzene (C₆H₅NO₂).

### Step 3: Reduction of Nitrobenzene to Aniline
- **Reaction**: Reduce nitrobenzene using hydrogen gas (H₂) in the presence of a catalyst such as platinum (Pt).
- **Chemical Equation**:
\[ \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{NO}_2 + 3\text{H}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{Pt}} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{NH}_2 + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \]
- **Explanation**: The nitro group (-NO₂) is reduced to an amino group (-NH₂), yielding aniline (C₆H₅NH₂).

### Final Summary
- The overall conversion of phenol to aniline involves:
1. Reduction of phenol to benzene using zinc dust.
2. Nitration of benzene to form nitrobenzene.
3. Reduction of nitrobenzene to form aniline.