See image — GOC and Organic Chemistry Basics Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

# Solution: Grignard Reaction with Ethylene Oxide **Step 1: Identify the Grignard reagent and substrate** - Grignard reagent: $C_6H_5MgBr$ (phenylmagnesium bromide) - Substrate: Ethylene oxide ($CH_2-CH_2$ in a three-membered ring) **Step 2: Understand Grignard reactivity with epoxides** Grignard reagents are strong nucleophiles and readily attack the electrophilic carbon atoms of strained three-membered rings (epoxides). The ring opens to relieve strain. **Step 3: Nucleophilic attack mechanism** The phenyl carbanion ($C_6H_5^-$) attacks one of the ethylene oxide carbons, breaking the $C-O$ bond: $$C_6H_5MgBr + CH_2-CH_2 \rightarrow C_6H_5-CH_2-CH_2-O^-MgBr$$ **Step 4: Aqueous workup** Water protonates the alkoxide intermediate: $$C_6H_5-CH_2-CH_2-O^-MgBr + H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_5-CH_2-CH_2-OH + MgBr(OH)$$ **Result:** The product is **phenethyl alcohol** ($C_6H_5-CH_2-CH_2-OH$) **Answer: Option (B)** — The two-carbon chain with a terminal hydroxyl group attached to the benzene ring correctly represents the product.