Question

Does oxidation of chlorobenzene give benzene?
A) True
B) False

Answer 1

Hint: Oxidation is a process of removing electrons from the molecule that is being oxidized. So find out whether electrons are being removed or taken up by the benzene molecule in chlorobenzene while converting to benzene.

Complete answer:
We know that in the process of oxidation, a molecule either loses electrons/hydrogen atoms or gains oxygen atoms. In the reaction given to us, chlorobenzene is being converted to benzene. We have to find out if this reaction is an oxidation reaction or not.
In order to acquire benzene from chlorobenzene, the chlorine atom should be replaced by a hydrogen atom. This means that we need to add hydrogen atom to the molecule which is the opposite of oxidation reaction i.e. reduction.
Hence benzene is formed from chlorobenzene when it is reduced and not oxidized.

Therefore the answer is false.

Additional information:
Oxidation of chlorobenzene produces ortho substituted oxy-chlorobenzene. Various methods of oxidation of chlorine are available such as oxidation using Fenton’s reagent, catalytic oxidation of chlorobenzene, atmospheric oxidation etc. These methods produce various forms of oxygen-substituted products depending on the catalyst used and environmental conditions.

Note:
The formation of benzene from chlorobenzene involves the replacement of chlorine atoms with hydrogen atoms. The addition of hydrogen atoms or removal of oxygen atoms from a molecule is known as reduction. Since hydrogen is being added to the molecule here, it is a reduction reaction rather than an oxidation reaction.