$$ \mathrm{HCHO}+\mathrm{HCl} \stackrel{\mathrm{ZnCl}_{2}}{\longrightarrow} \mathrm{P} $$ The organic compound P formed in the above reaction is

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Chloromethane (CH₃Cl)

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Reaction Type

In this case, the reaction involves an aldehyde (HCHO) and a hydrogen halide (HCl) in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst (ZnCl₂). This type of reaction is known as the Gattermann-Koch reaction, a variant of the Friedel-Crafts reaction.
02

Understand the Mechanism

The mechanism of the Gattermann-Koch reaction involves the formation of carbonyl chloride (R-CO-Cl) species, which can then form an aromatic compound. In our case, HCHO (simplest aldehyde) reacts with HCl in the presence of ZnCl₂ to form carbonyl chloride species.
03

Write the Product

The carbonyl chloride species formed will then react further to yield our desired organic compound P. In this case, the reaction will produce chloromethane (CH₃Cl) as the product. The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is as follows: $$ \mathrm{HCHO}+\mathrm{HCl} \stackrel{\mathrm{ZnCl}_{2}}{\longrightarrow} \mathrm{CH_{3}Cl} $$ So, the organic compound P formed in the above reaction is chloromethane (CH₃Cl).

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