Passing CO and HCl gas into benzene in the presence of anhydrous AlCl3/CuCl generates formyl chloride in situ, which serves as the electrophile in an electrophilic aromatic substitution and installs a −CHO group directly on the ring, giving benzaldehyde.
This direct formylation of an aromatic ring using CO and HCl with a Lewis acid catalyst is the Gattermann–Koch reaction.
JEE Main · 2024 · 31 Jan 2024 · Shift 2 · Single correct option