The synthesis of salicylaldehyde from phenol can be achieved through the reaction of phenol with HCl and NaOH in a method known as the Reimer-Tiemann reaction. Here’s how the reaction proceeds:
Reimer-Tiemann Reaction: In this reaction, phenol is treated with chloroform in the presence of a strong base (usually NaOH) and HCl is used for the acidic work-up.
The phenol undergoes electrophilic substitution, resulting in the ortho- and para-formylation of the aromatic ring.
Reaction Overview: The reaction mechanism involves:
Final Product: The final product is salicylaldehyde, which can be represented as follows:
\(\text{Phenol} + \text{Chloroform} \xrightarrow{\text{NaOH}} \text{Salicylaldehyde}\)
The product (P) formed in the following reaction is: