During the Reimer-Tiemann reaction, phenol is converted to salicylaldehyde using chloroform () and a — Alcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

In the Reimer-Tiemann reaction, the strong base ($NaOH$) deprotonates chloroform, followed by alpha-elimination of a chloride ion to generate dichlorocarbene ($:CCl_2$). This neutral, electron-deficient species acts as the active electrophile attacking the electron-rich phenoxide ring.