Read the following statements regarding the chemical reactions of phenol: Statement I: Oxidation of phenol with chromic acid produces a conjugated diketone. Statement II: Heating phenol with zinc dust yields benzene. Statement III: Reimer-Tiemann reaction of phenol yields salicylic acid as the major product. Statement IV: Kolbe's reaction involves the electrophilic attack of carbon dioxide on the phenoxide ion. How m

Step-by-step solution

Statement I is correct: Oxidation of phenol with chromic acid ( Na ₂ Cr ₂ O ₇ and H ₂ SO ₄ ) produces benzoquinone, which is a conjugated diketone. Statement II is correct: Phenol is reduced to benzene when heated with zinc dust. Statement III is incorrect: Reimer-Tiemann reaction involves the treatment of phenol with chloroform in the presence of aqueous sodium hydroxide, followed by acidification, to yield salicylaldehyde as the major product, not salicylic acid. Statement IV is correct: In Kolbe's reaction, the