MCQ Detailed View

Saccharin is a widely used artificial sweetener, often hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. It is commonly added to diet drinks, sugar-free products, and low-calorie foods. Chemically, saccharin is synthesized from toluene, an aromatic hydrocarbon, through a series of organic reactions including nitration, reduction, and oxidation.

The process begins with toluene (C₇H₈), which undergoes nitration to introduce a nitro group (-NO₂) into its aromatic ring. This is followed by reduction, converting the nitro group into an amino group (-NH₂). Further oxidation and cyclization reactions produce the final saccharin molecule (C₇H₅NO₃S), which contains a sulfonamide group. This functional group and cyclic structure are responsible for saccharin’s intense sweetening properties.

Other compounds in the options are not used in saccharin synthesis:

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  Phenol is an aromatic alcohol unrelated to saccharin production.

  
  


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  Propane is a simple alkane without the aromatic structure required for saccharin synthesis.

  
  

Understanding the chemical origin of saccharin is important in organic chemistry and the study of synthetic sweeteners. Toluene provides the necessary aromatic backbone for saccharin, and its transformation demonstrates key organic reactions such as electrophilic substitution, reduction, and oxidation. This knowledge is also essential in industrial chemistry, where large-scale production of saccharin relies on efficient conversion of toluene to the final sweetener.

In summary, the correct answer is Toluene, as it is the starting material from which saccharin is chemically synthesized. This highlights the practical application of organic chemistry in producing everyday sweetening agents used in food and beverages.