What is the product obtained when alkene is reacted with cold and dilute alkaline potassium permanganate?

Step-by-step solution

Baeyer's test employs cold, dilute alkaline potassium permanganate as a mild oxidizing agent to achieve syn-dihydroxylation. The alkene undergoes addition of two hydroxyl groups across the double bond from the same face, forming a vicinal diol (glycol). The general reaction is R-CH=CH-R' + KMnO ₄ (cold, dilute, alkaline) R-CH(OH)-CH(OH)-R' . Option A (alkanol) is incorrect as it specifies a single hydroxyl group. Option C (glycerol) is a triol and does not result from this reaction. Option D (alkanoic acid) forms u