Final answer:
Acetic formic anhydride reacts with aniline to form N-phenyl acetamide and with benzyl alcohol to produce benzyl acetate, both through specific nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The products expected when acetic formic anhydride reacts with different nucleophiles can be predicted based on their functional groups and the reactivity of acid anhydrides. When acetic formic anhydride reacts with (i) aniline, it is expected to form an amide, specifically N-phenyl acetamide, and formic acid will react with the excess amine to form an amine salt. For (ii) benzyl alcohol, the reaction should yield benzyl acetate and formic acid, since the alcohol group of benzyl alcohol will attack the acetic part of the anhydride to form an ester, while water will be the by-product.
These reactions are consistent with the general pattern in which acid anhydrides react with alcohols and amines. In both cases, the carboxylic acid portion of the anhydride reacts to form a new compound while releasing the other part as a carboxylic acid. The specificity of reactions between acid anhydrides and nucleophiles like amines and alcohols allows for a wide variety of organic syntheses, including the formation of esters, amides, and other important organic compounds.