See image — Alcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Identify compound A. Ethanol (C2H5OH) reacts with PCl5. In this reaction, the -OH group of ethanol is replaced by -Cl, giving A = C2H5Cl (chloroethane/ethyl chloride), along with POCl3 and HCl as byproducts. This is a standard nucleophilic substitution where PCl5 replaces the hydroxyl group with chlorine. Step 2: Identify compound B. A (C2H5Cl) reacts with dry Ag2O. Dry Ag2O acts as a mild base and promotes the Williamson-type ether synthesis. Two moles of C2H5Cl react with Ag2O: 2 C2H5Cl + Ag2O → C2H5OC2H5 (diethyl ether) + 2 AgCl. The major product B is diethyl ether (C2H5OC2H5), and AgCl is precipitated. Step 3: Verify against options. Option (a) states A = C2H5Cl and B = C2H5OC2H5, which matches both steps perfectly. Step 4: Why other options fail. Option (b) suggests A = C2H4 (ethylene), which would require elimination rather than substitution with PCl5 — not the primary reaction. Option (c) and (d) suggest A = C2H6 (ethane), which is not formed from ethanol + PCl5 under normal conditions. These are incorrect. Therefore, the correct answer is A.