NEET 2026
- Exam
- NEET
- Year
- 2026
- Subject
- Chemistry
- Chapter
- Chapter
NEET 2026 · Chemistry · Chapter
Assertion (A) : The reaction of benzyl phenyl ether with hydrogen...
Assertion (A) : The reaction of benzyl phenyl ether with hydrogen iodide proceeds as shown in the given figure.
Reason (R) : In alkyl aryl ethers, the aryl-oxygen bond is easily cleaved by halogen acids due to the formation of a resonance-stabilized aryl carbocation.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Options
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- BBoth (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
- C(A) is true but (R) is false
- DBoth (A) and (R) are false
Correct answer
D. Both (A) and (R) are false
Step-by-step solution
Assertion (A) is false because the reaction of benzyl phenyl ether with HI yields phenol and benzyl iodide, not iodobenzene and benzyl alcohol. The cleavage of the bond occurs at the benzyl-oxygen bond rather than the phenyl-oxygen bond. This is because the phenyl-oxygen bond has partial double bond character due to resonance, making it stronger and difficult to break. Additionally, cleavage of the benzyl-oxygen bond forms a resonance-stabilized benzyl carbocation.
Reason (R) is false because in alkyl aryl ethers, the aryl-oxygen bond is difficult to cleave due to its partial double bond character. Furthermore, if it were to cleave, it would form an aryl carbocation (like a phenyl cation), which is highly unstable and cannot be stabilized by resonance since the empty orbital is perpendicular to the -system of the benzene ring.
Therefore, both (A) and (R) are false.
Answer: Both (A) and (R) are false
Reason (R) is false because in alkyl aryl ethers, the aryl-oxygen bond is difficult to cleave due to its partial double bond character. Furthermore, if it were to cleave, it would form an aryl carbocation (like a phenyl cation), which is highly unstable and cannot be stabilized by resonance since the empty orbital is perpendicular to the -system of the benzene ring.
Therefore, both (A) and (R) are false.
Answer: Both (A) and (R) are false