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JEE Chemistry 2025 Question with Solution

A toxic compound “A” when reacted with NaCN in aqueous acidic medium yields an edible cooking component and food preservative “B”. “B” is converted to “C” by dibromane and can be used as an additive to petrol to reduce emission. “C” upon reaction with oleum at 140C140^\circ \text{C} yields an inhalable anesthetic “D”. Identify “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D”, respectively.

  • A

    Methanol; formaldehyde; methyl chloride; chloroform

  • B

    Ethanol; acetonitrile; ethylamine; ethylene

  • C

    Methanol; acetic acid; ethanol; diethyl ether

  • D

    Acetaldehyde; 2-hydroxyethane; acetic acid; propanoic acid

Answer

Correct answer:C

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: A sequence of organic transformations connects compounds A, B, C, and D.

Find: The correct identities of A, B, C, and D.

From the solution, B is identified as acetic acid, an edible cooking component and food preservative. The solution further states that A is methanol.

Next, the solution concludes that B is converted to C = ethanol, which is used as a petrol additive to reduce emission.

Finally, the solution states that ethanol on reaction with oleum at 140C140^\circ \text{C} gives D = diethyl ether, an inhalable anesthetic.

Therefore, the sequence is:

  • A = Methanol
  • B = Acetic acid
  • C = Ethanol
  • D = Diethyl ether

Hence, the correct option is C.

Stepwise Identification

Given: A toxic compound “A” reacts to form an edible preservative “B”, then a petrol additive “C”, and finally an inhalable anesthetic “D”.

Find: The correct ordered set of compounds.

  1. The solution identifies the edible cooking component and preservative B as acetic acid.
  2. It then assigns A as methanol.
  3. The product C obtained from B is stated in the solution to be ethanol, which is used as an additive to petrol.
  4. On treatment of C with oleum at 140C140^\circ \text{C}, the solution identifies D as diethyl ether, an inhalable anesthetic.

So the required order is: Methanol; acetic acid; ethanol; diethyl ether.

Therefore, the correct option is C.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing acetic acid with formaldehyde as the edible preservative is incorrect because the clue explicitly points to a common cooking component and food preservative. Use the descriptive clue to identify B first.

  • Ignoring the final clue about an inhalable anesthetic can lead to a wrong chain. Diethyl ether is the intended anesthetic here, so C must be the precursor that forms it under the stated conditions.

  • Matching only the first compound and not checking the full sequence is incorrect because all four compounds must align consistently. Verify A \to B \to C \to D before choosing the option.

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