Identify the major product (P) in the following sequence of reactions: Aniline [ (ii) Cu ₂ Cl ₂] (i) NaNO ₂ , HCl, 273-278 K (A) [ (ii) H ^+] (i) NaOH, 623 K, 300 atm (B) [ (ii) H ^+] (i) CHCl ₃ , aq. NaOH, (P)

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Aniline reacts with NaNO ₂ and HCl at 273-278 K to form benzene diazonium chloride, which upon treatment with Cu ₂ Cl ₂ (Sandmeyer reaction) gives chlorobenzene (A). Step 2: Chlorobenzene undergoes nucleophilic aromatic substitution with NaOH at 623 K and 300 atm (Dow process), followed by acidification, to yield phenol (B). Step 3: Phenol reacts with CHCl ₃ and aqueous NaOH followed by acidification (Reimer-Tiemann reaction) to form 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (salicylaldehyde) as the major product due to stabil