The reaction of formaldehyde with Grignard's reagent followed by hydrolysis yields

Options

A. a primary alcohol
B. a secondary alcohol
C. a tertiary alcohol
D. a phenol.

Answer

To solve the question regarding the reaction of formaldehyde with Grignard's reagent followed by hydrolysis, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactants are formaldehyde (HCHO) and a Grignard reagent (R-MgX). Here, R represents an alkyl group, and X is a halogen.

2. **Understand the Reaction Mechanism**:
- Grignard reagents are strong nucleophiles. When the Grignard reagent (R-MgX) is added to formaldehyde, the nucleophilic alkyl group (R-) attacks the electrophilic carbon atom of the carbonyl group (C=O) in formaldehyde.

3. **Formation of an Alkoxide Intermediate**:
- The attack of the Grignard reagent leads to the formation of a tetrahedral alkoxide intermediate. The double bond of the carbonyl (C=O) breaks, and the oxygen atom becomes negatively charged (alkoxide ion).

4. **Hydrolysis of the Alkoxide**:
- When the reaction mixture is treated with water (or an acid), the alkoxide ion is protonated, leading to the formation of an alcohol. The reaction can be summarized as follows:
- R-MgX + HCHO → R-CH(OH)-CH2 (alkoxide)
- R-CH(OH)-CH2 + H2O → R-CH(OH)-CH2OH (primary alcohol)

5. **Determine the Type of Alcohol**:
- The product formed is a primary alcohol because the carbon atom that is bonded to the hydroxyl group (OH) is attached to only one other carbon (the R group).

### Final Product:
- The final product of the reaction is a primary alcohol, specifically R-CH2-CHOH.