Identify the products when benzene reacts with chlorine in the presence of (I) Fe and (II) anhydrous AlCl ₃ respectively from the following.

Step-by-step solution

Benzene undergoes electrophilic aromatic substitution when it reacts with halogens in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. In the first case, iron ( Fe ) reacts with chlorine to form FeCl ₃ in situ, which acts as a Lewis acid. It facilitates the generation of the electrophile ( Cl ^+ ), leading to the formation of chlorobenzene. C ₆ H ₆ + Cl ₂ Fe C ₆ H ₅ Cl + HCl In the second case, anhydrous AlCl ₃ is also a Lewis acid and similarly catalyzes the electrophilic substitution of benzene with chlorine to yield chlor