Which reagent converts nitrobenzene to Nphenyl hydroxyamine?

Options

A. `Zn//HCl`
B. `H_(2) O_(2)`
C. `Zn//NH _(4) Cl`
D. `LiAlH_(4)`

Answer

To convert nitrobenzene to N-phenyl hydroxylamine, we need to follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactant**: The starting compound is nitrobenzene, which has the chemical formula C6H5NO2. It contains a nitro group (-NO2) attached to a benzene ring.

2. **Identify the Product**: The target compound is N-phenyl hydroxylamine, which has the structure C6H5NHOH. This compound contains an amino group (-NH2) and a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to the same nitrogen atom.

3. **Select the Reagent**: The reagent that is commonly used to convert nitrobenzene to N-phenyl hydroxylamine is zinc (Zn) in the presence of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl).

4. **Reaction Mechanism**: The reaction proceeds through the reduction of the nitro group (-NO2) to a hydroxylamine group (-NHOH). Zinc acts as a reducing agent, and ammonium chloride provides an acidic medium that facilitates the reaction.

5. **Write the Reaction**: The overall reaction can be represented as:
\[ \text{C6H5NO2} + \text{Zn} + \text{NH4Cl} \rightarrow \text{C6H5NHOH} + \text{by-products} \]

6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the reagent that converts nitrobenzene to N-phenyl hydroxylamine is zinc in the presence of ammonium chloride.