JEE Chemistry 2026 Question with Solution

Given: Four reactions are shown and we must identify which one gives the stated major product.

Find: The correct reaction.

Concept: The correct reaction is identified by checking whether the reactants, reagents, and named reaction are chemically consistent with the product formed.

Reaction (1): Potassium phthalimide reacting with an aryl halide, followed by heat and hydrolysis, is shown to give aniline. This resembles Gabriel phthalimide synthesis, but Gabriel synthesis works efficiently for alkyl halides, not aryl halides. Aryl halides do not undergo $S_N2$ substitution easily.

Therefore, Reaction (1) is incorrect.

Reaction (2): Benzylamine is treated with $\mathrm{CHCl_3/KOH}$, followed by reduction. $\mathrm{CHCl_3/KOH}$ gives the carbylamine reaction with a primary amine, producing an isocyanide. The product does not revert back to the original amine upon reduction in the manner shown.

Therefore, Reaction (2) is incorrect.

Reaction (3): Acetanilide undergoes nitration using $\mathrm{HNO_3/H_2SO_4}$. The $-NHCO-$ group is ortho-para directing. Nitration gives a mixture of ortho- and para-nitroacetanilide, with the para isomer as the major product. The reaction as drawn does not correctly represent the major product distribution.

Therefore, Reaction (3) is incorrect.

Reaction (4):

This is the Hofmann bromamide reaction. In this reaction, an amide is converted into a primary amine with the loss of one carbon atom. Here, propionamide $\mathrm{CH_3CH_2CONH_2}$ gives ethylamine $\mathrm{CH_3CH_2NH_2}$, which matches the expected product exactly.

Therefore, Reaction (4) is correct.

Conclusion: The correct option is D.