Q.Find the products X and Y in the following reactions. Phenol (OH on benzene ring) $\xrightarrow[\Delta]{Zn}$ X Phenol (OH on benzene ring) $\xrightarrow[\text{anhydrous } ZnCl_2]{NH_3, \Delta}$ Y

Phenol's hydroxyl group can be either removed entirely (reductive distillation with zinc dust, giving benzene) or replaced by an amino group (heating with ammonia and a Lewis-acid catalyst, giving aniline) — two classic reactions demonstrating the reactivity of the phenolic $-OH$.

Formation of X: when phenol vapour is passed over heated zinc dust, the $C-OH$ bond is reductively cleaved and the hydroxyl group is removed, replaced by hydrogen: $C_6H_5OH + Zn \xrightarrow{\Delta} C_6H_6\ (X,\ \text{benzene}) + ZnO$

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