Given below are two statements : Statement I: Heating benzamide with bromine in an ethanolic solution of sodium hydroxide will give benzylamine. Statement II: Nitration of aniline with HNO_3/H_2SO_4 at 288 K produces m-nitroaniline in higher amount than o-nitroaniline (pH adjusted). In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below :
D. Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Statement I describes the Hoffmann bromamide degradation reaction. When benzamide (C_6H_5CONH_2) is heated with bromine in an ethanolic solution of sodium hydroxide, it produces aniline (C_6H_5NH_2), not benzylamine. Thus, Statement I is false. Statement II describes the nitration of aniline. Direct nitration of aniline with HNO_3/H_2SO_4 yields a mixture of p-nitroaniline (51\%), m-nitroaniline (47\%), and o-nitroaniline (2\%). The significant formation of the meta derivative is due to the protonation of aniline in the strongly acidic medium to form the anilinium ion, which is meta-directing. Since 47\% > 2\%, m-nitroaniline is produced in a higher amount than o-nitroaniline. Thus, Statement II is true. Answer: Statement I is false but Statement II is true
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