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What is the reduction of benzoic anhydride to benzoic acid?

1) Addition of water
2) Addition of hydrogen gas
3) Addition of oxygen gas
4) Addition of carbon dioxide

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The reduction of benzoic anhydride to benzoic acid is achieved by the addition of water through hydrolysis, resulting in two molecules of benzoic acid. Option 1 is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the reduction of benzoic anhydride to benzoic acid. Reduction generally implies the addition of hydrogen or the removal of oxygen. The correct option for converting benzoic anhydride to benzoic acid is the addition of water (hydrolysis), not the addition of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, or carbon dioxide.

Therefore, the appropriate reaction for the conversion of benzoic anhydride to benzoic acid is:

C6H5(CO)2O + H2O → 2 C6H5COOH

This reaction occurs because water adds across the anhydride bond to split the molecule into two carboxylic acid molecules.

The reduction of benzoic anhydride to benzoic acid involves the addition of hydrogen gas (H2). This reaction is commonly known as hydrogenation. The chemical equation for the reduction is as follows:

Benzoic anhydride + H2 → Benzoic acid

In this reaction, the double bond of benzoic anhydride is broken, and hydrogen atoms are added to the molecule, resulting in the formation of benzoic acid.

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