Phenol can undergo a severe deoxygenation reduction when heated strongly via distillation with fine zinc dust (). In a single molecule of the resulting stable, aromatic hydrocarbon product, what is th

Question

Phenol can undergo a severe deoxygenation reduction when heated strongly via distillation with fine zinc dust ($\Delta$). In a single molecule of the resulting stable, aromatic hydrocarbon product, what is the total number of oxygen atoms remaining?

Prashant Kotian · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: 0. Distillation of phenol with zinc dust results in the complete reduction of the phenol molecule. The zinc reduces the carbon-oxygen bond, extracting the oxygen atom to form solid zinc oxide (). The organic product is pure benzene (), which is a hydrocarbon containing exactly zero oxygen atoms.

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