Identify the major organic product formed in the following reaction:

Step-by-step solution

The given reactant is acetophenone ( C₆H₅COCH₃ ), which contains a methyl ketone group ( -COCH₃ ). When a methyl ketone is treated with excess halogen ( Cl₂ ) in the presence of a base ( HO^- ), it undergoes the haloform reaction. The reaction proceeds via the formation of a trichloromethyl intermediate, followed by cleavage of the C-C bond by the hydroxide ion. This yields chloroform ( CHCl₃ ) and the carboxylate ion corresponding to the rest of the molecule. The balanced chemical equation is: C₆H₅COCH₃ + 3Cl₂ + 4