A haloalkane can be reduced to an alkane with the help of HI in presence of red phosphorus. Red phosphorus

Options

A. acts as reducing agent
B. acts as dehydrating agent
C. is used to regenerate HI
D. acts as a catalyst

Answer

To solve the question regarding the reduction of a haloalkane to an alkane using HI in the presence of red phosphorus, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Reaction**:
- A haloalkane (alkyl halide) contains a carbon atom bonded to a halogen atom (like Cl, Br, or I).
- The goal is to reduce this haloalkane to an alkane, which is a saturated hydrocarbon with only carbon and hydrogen atoms.

2. **Identifying the Reducing Agent**:
- In this reaction, Hydroiodic Acid (HI) is used as a reagent. It can donate iodide ions (I⁻), which can help in the reduction process.
- Red phosphorus is also involved in this reaction. It can facilitate the generation of HI and acts as a reducing agent itself.

3. **Mechanism of Reduction**:
- The red phosphorus helps in the generation of HI from iodine and hydrogen.
- The iodide ions (I⁻) from HI can replace the halogen in the haloalkane, leading to the formation of an alkane.
- The overall process involves the reduction of the carbon atom that was initially bonded to the halogen, resulting in the formation of a carbon-hydrogen bond instead.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the red phosphorus acts as a reducing agent in this reaction, facilitating the conversion of haloalkane to alkane.

### Final Answer:
The correct answer is that red phosphorus acts as a reducing agent.

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