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Total Number of Compounds Soluble in Aqueous NaOH

Amongst the following, the total number of compounds soluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH} is

Diagram 0

Official Numerical Answer4

Step-by-Step Solution

To determine the total number of compounds soluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH}, we must consider the acidity of the functional groups present in each structure:

  1. Criterion for Solubility in Aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH}:
    A compound is soluble in aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH\text{NaOH}) if it contains functional groups that are acidic enough (pKa≲10pK_a \lesssim 10) to undergo an acid-base neutralization reaction with OH−\text{OH}^-. This deprotonation converts the organic compound into a water-soluble ionic salt (e.g., sodium carboxylates or sodium phenoxides).
    • Carboxylic acids (−COOH-\text{COOH}, pKa∼3−5pK_a \sim 3-5) and phenols (Ar-OH\text{Ar-OH}, pKa∼10pK_a \sim 10) are acidic enough to react with aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH} and dissolve.
    • Aliphatic alcohols (−CH2OH-\text{CH}_2\text{OH}, pKa∼15−17pK_a \sim 15-17), amines, ethers, hydrocarbons, and neutral aromatic compounds (such as nitrobenzene) do not react significantly with NaOH\text{NaOH} and remain insoluble.

  1. Analysis of the Given Compounds:

    • Compound 1: N,NN,N-Dimethylaniline (C6H5N(CH3)2\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{N(CH}_3\text{)}_2)

      • Functional group: Tertiary aromatic amine (basic).
      • Acidity: Contains no acidic protons to react with NaOH\text{NaOH}.
      • Solubility: Insoluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH}.
    • Compound 2: Cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (C6H11COOH\text{C}_6\text{H}_{11}\text{COOH})

      • Functional group: Carboxylic acid (pKa≈4.8pK_a \approx 4.8).
      • Reaction: C6H11COOH+NaOH→C6H11COO−Na++H2O\text{C}_6\text{H}_{11}\text{COOH} + \text{NaOH} \rightarrow \text{C}_6\text{H}_{11}\text{COO}^-\text{Na}^+ + \text{H}_2\text{O}
      • Solubility: Soluble due to salt formation.
    • Compound 3: 2-Ethoxybenzyl alcohol (o-EtO-C6H4-CH2OHo\text{-EtO-C}_6\text{H}_4\text{-CH}_2\text{OH})

      • Functional group: Ether and benzylic (aliphatic) alcohol (pKa≈15pK_a \approx 15).
      • Acidity: Benzylic alcohols are not acidic enough to react with NaOH\text{NaOH}.
      • Solubility: Insoluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH}.
    • Compound 4: Phenol (C6H5OH\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH})

      • Functional group: Phenolic hydroxyl group (pKa≈10pK_a \approx 10).
      • Reaction: C6H5OH+NaOH→C6H5O−Na++H2O\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} + \text{NaOH} \rightarrow \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{O}^-\text{Na}^+ + \text{H}_2\text{O}
      • Solubility: Soluble due to formation of sodium phenoxide.
    • Compound 5: Nitrobenzene (C6H5NO2\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{NO}_2)

      • Functional group: Nitro group attached to benzene ring.
      • Acidity: Neutral compound, no acidic protons.
      • Solubility: Insoluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH}.
    • Compound 6: 4-(Dimethylamino)phenol (p-Me2N-C6H4-OHp\text{-Me}_2\text{N-C}_6\text{H}_4\text{-OH})

      • Functional group: Phenolic hydroxyl group (pKa≈10pK_a \approx 10) and tertiary amine.
      • Reaction: The phenolic −OH-\text{OH} group reacts with NaOH\text{NaOH} to yield a soluble phenoxide salt:
        p-Me2N-C6H4-OH+NaOH→p-Me2N-C6H4-O−Na++H2Op\text{-Me}_2\text{N-C}_6\text{H}_4\text{-OH} + \text{NaOH} \rightarrow p\text{-Me}_2\text{N-C}_6\text{H}_4\text{-O}^-\text{Na}^+ + \text{H}_2\text{O}
      • Solubility: Soluble.
    • Compound 7: 1,2-Diethylbenzene (C6H4(C2H5)2\text{C}_6\text{H}_4(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5)_2)

      • Functional group: Aromatic hydrocarbon.
      • Acidity: Non-acidic.
      • Solubility: Insoluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH}.
    • Compound 8: 1-Naphthoic acid (C10H7COOH\text{C}_{10}\text{H}_7\text{COOH})

      • Functional group: Carboxylic acid (pKa≈3.7pK_a \approx 3.7).
      • Reaction: C10H7COOH+NaOH→C10H7COO−Na++H2O\text{C}_{10}\text{H}_7\text{COOH} + \text{NaOH} \rightarrow \text{C}_{10}\text{H}_7\text{COO}^-\text{Na}^+ + \text{H}_2\text{O}
      • Solubility: Soluble due to salt formation.

  1. Conclusion:

The compounds soluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH} are:

  1. Cyclohexanecarboxylic acid
  2. Phenol
  3. 4-(Dimethylamino)phenol
  4. 1-Naphthoic acid

Thus, the total number of compounds soluble in aqueous NaOH\text{NaOH} is 4.