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Chemistry

Organic conversions

Pick two compounds. See the route.

C₆H₆
C₆H₅NH₂
  1. BenzeneC₆H₆Arene
  2. Step 1

    conc. HNO₃ + conc. H₂SO₄

    323 to 333 K

    i

    Nitration: the nitronium ion is the electrophile; keep below 333 K to avoid dinitration.

    O−N+O
    NitrobenzeneC₆H₅NO₂Nitro compound
  3. Step 2

    Sn + conc. HCl

    i

    Metal in acid reduces the nitro group; the amine comes out as its salt, so add NaOH at the end.

    Also written: Fe + HCl; H₂, Pd (in ethanol)

    NH2
    AnilineC₆H₅NH₂Amine

Exam answer

  1. Step 1: Benzene to nitrobenzene: conc. HNO₃ + conc. H₂SO₄, 323 to 333 K.
  2. Step 2: Nitrobenzene to aniline: Sn + conc. HCl.
Alternative routes (3)
  • Benzene → Toluene → Benzoic acid → Benzamide → Aniline
    1. Benzene to toluene: CH₃Cl, anhydrous AlCl₃.
    2. Toluene to benzoic acid: KMnO₄, KOH, heat; then H₃O⁺.
    3. Benzoic acid to benzamide: NH₃, then heat.
    4. Benzamide to aniline: Br₂ + NaOH(aq).
  • Benzene → Ethylbenzene → Benzoic acid → Benzamide → Aniline
    1. Benzene to ethylbenzene: CH₃CH₂Cl, anhydrous AlCl₃.
    2. Ethylbenzene to benzoic acid: KMnO₄, KOH, heat; then H₃O⁺.
    3. Benzoic acid to benzamide: NH₃, then heat.
    4. Benzamide to aniline: Br₂ + NaOH(aq).
  • Benzene → Benzaldehyde → Benzoic acid → Benzamide → Aniline
    1. Benzene to benzaldehyde: CO + HCl, anhydrous AlCl₃ / CuCl.
    2. Benzaldehyde to benzoic acid: KMnO₄, KOH, heat; then H₃O⁺.
    3. Benzoic acid to benzamide: NH₃, then heat.
    4. Benzamide to aniline: Br₂ + NaOH(aq).
Worked conversions

Pick a conversion

Benzene

Aniline

Toluene

Phenol

Ethanol

Methanol

Ethanal

Propanone

Benzaldehyde

Benzoic acid

Benzamide

Ethanoic acid

Ethanamine

Ethyne

Bromoethane

Chloroethane

Propan-1-ol

Propan-2-ol

But-2-ene

Acetophenone

Nitrobenzene

Chlorobenzene

Propene

Same chapter: name reactions, electron configuration, oxidation numbers and redox, bonding and shapes, balance equations, mole calculator.

Questions students ask

Organic conversions

How does the organic conversions planner find a route?

It treats every compound as a point and every NCERT reaction as an arrow between two points. For the pair you pick it lists the shortest paths of up to four steps first, and among equal lengths it puts the reactions the textbook writes ahead of the ones it only shows as alternatives.

Are the reagents the ones in the NCERT books?

Yes. Each reagent and condition follows the rationalised NCERT Class 11 Hydrocarbons chapter and the Class 12 chapters on haloalkanes, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, and amines. Where the book gives more than one reagent for a step, the first is shown on the arrow and the others appear under "Also written".

What does it mean when no route is shown?

The planner only looks up to four steps. If it finds nothing it says so and suggests compounds of the same kind that you can reach from your starting compound, so you can choose a nearer target or break the question into two parts.

Can I copy the answer for my notes?

Yes. Every route has an exam answer block in the Step 1, Step 2 style used in board papers, with a button that copies it as text. Write the reagent and the condition for each step, and name the reaction if it has a name.