Consider the following reaction sequence: Phenylacetic acid [ ] NH₃ A Br₂/NaOH B The final product B is:

Step-by-step solution

Phenylacetic acid ( C₆H₅CH₂COOH ) reacts with ammonia to form an ammonium salt, which on strong heating loses a water molecule to form 2-phenylacetamide ( C₆H₅CH₂CONH₂ ). This is intermediate A. 2-Phenylacetamide is treated with bromine and sodium hydroxide, which are the reagents for the Hoffmann bromamide degradation reaction. In this reaction, the primary amide loses its carbonyl carbon to form a primary amine with one carbon atom less. Thus, the -CONH₂ group is converted to an -NH₂ group. C₆H₅CH₂CONH₂ Br₂/NaOH