Question

Compound ‘P’ on nitration with dil. HNO₃ yields two isomers (A) and (B) show the intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding respectively. Compound (P) on reaction with conc. HNO₃ yields a yellow compound ‘C’, a strong acid. The number of oxygen atoms is present in compound ‘C’ _____

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 7

To solve the problem, we need to identify the compound 'C' based on the given reactions of compound 'P' with HNO₃. The process involves:

1. Understanding the nitration reactions:
   • When compound 'P' is treated with dilute HNO₃, it produces two isomers. One shows intramolecular hydrogen bonding while the other shows intermolecular hydrogen bonding. This suggests 'P' is likely a hydroxylated aromatic compound like phenol.
   • When compound 'P' reacts with concentrated HNO₃, it forms a yellow compound 'C', which is a strong acid.
2. Identifying the Structure:
   • Recognizing the produce of 'C' formation, the most plausible compound fitting the description is picric acid (2,4,6-trinitrophenol).
   • Picric acid is a strong acid and produces a yellow color in solid form.
3. Counting Oxygen Atoms in Picric Acid:
   • The structure of picric acid contains three nitro (NO₂) groups and one hydroxyl (OH) group attached to a benzene ring.
   • Each nitro group adds two oxygen atoms, thus 3 groups contribute 6 oxygens.
   • The hydroxyl group adds one more oxygen.
   • In total, picric acid has 7 oxygen atoms.
4. Verifying the Solution:
   • The calculated number of oxygen atoms (7) fits within the given range (7,7).

Conclusion: Compound 'C', picric acid, contains exactly 7 oxygen atoms.