Write the reactions for the action of following reagents on phenol :(i) Nitrating mixture(ii) Zinc dust(b) What is the action of phosphorous pentacholoride on ethyl methyl ether?

Answer: (a)(i) Picric acid; (a)(ii) benzene; (b) ethyl chloride + methyl chloride + POCl₃.

(a)(i) With conc. HNO₃ + conc. H₂SO₄, phenol gives 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric acid):

\(\mathrm{C_6H_5OH + 3HNO_3 \xrightarrow{conc.\ H_2SO_4} C_6H_2(NO_2)_3OH + 3H_2O}\)

(a)(ii) On heating with zinc dust, phenol is reduced to benzene:

\(\mathrm{C_6H_5OH + Zn \xrightarrow{\Delta} C_6H_6 + ZnO}\)

(b) PCl₅ cleaves the ether on heating into alkyl chlorides:

\(\mathrm{C_2H_5\text{-}O\text{-}CH_3 + PCl_5 \xrightarrow{\Delta} C_2H_5Cl + CH_3Cl + POCl_3}\)