See image — Alcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Concept: Decarboxylation is the removal of CO2 from a carboxylate salt when heated with soda lime (NaOH + CaO). Step 1: Identify the structure of sodium salicylate. Sodium salicylate is the sodium salt of salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid), i.e., it has a benzene ring with an -OH group at the ortho position and a -COONa group. Step 2: Apply the decarboxylation reaction. When a sodium salt of a carboxylic acid is heated with soda lime, the -COONa group is removed as Na2CO3 (or CO2 is lost), and the carbon attached to COONa is replaced by H. Step 3: Determine the product. Sodium salicylate (sodium 2-hydroxybenzoate) upon decarboxylation loses the -COONa group, leaving behind a benzene ring with only the -OH substituent, which is phenol. Step 4: Evaluate other options. - (a) Salicylic acid: This would be formed by acidification of sodium salicylate, not by decarboxylation with soda lime. - (c) Benzene: Benzene would be the product if sodium benzoate (no -OH group) were decarboxylated. The -OH group remains on the ring, giving phenol, not benzene. - (d) None of these: Incorrect, as phenol is a valid product. Therefore, the correct answer is B.