Identify the major product R formed in the following reaction sequence: C₆H₅CH₂COOH [ ] NH₃ P Br₂/KOH Q [ (ii) H₂O ] (i) NaNO₂ + HCl R

Step-by-step solution

Reaction of phenylacetic acid with ammonia followed by heating yields phenylacetamide. C₆H₅CH₂COOH [ ] NH₃ C₆H₅CH₂CONH₂ (P) Phenylacetamide undergoes Hoffmann bromamide degradation on treatment with Br₂ and KOH to form benzylamine. C₆H₅CH₂CONH₂ Br₂/KOH C₆H₅CH₂NH₂ (Q) Benzylamine, being a primary aliphatic amine, reacts with nitrous acid (generated in situ from NaNO₂ and HCl ) to form an unstable diazonium salt. This salt decomposes to give a benzyl carbocation, which is trapped by water to form benzyl alcohol. C₆H₅