When phenol is treated with dilute HNO3 at 298 K, it undergoes electrophilic aromatic substitution to give a mixture of ortho-nitrophenol and para-nitrophenol.
The mixture is separated by steam distillation. Ortho-nitrophenol is steam volatile due to intramolecular hydrogen bonding, whereas para-nitrophenol is not steam volatile due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Thus, the steam volatile compound (X) is ortho-nitrophenol.
Molecular formula of phenol: C6H6O
Molar mass of phenol =(6×12)+(6×1)+16=94 g mol−1
Percentage of oxygen in phenol =9416×100≈17.02%
Molecular formula of ortho-nitrophenol (X): C6H5NO3
Molar mass of ortho-nitrophenol =(6×12)+(5×1)+14+(3×16)=139 g mol−1
Percentage of oxygen in ortho-nitrophenol =13948×100≈34.53%
Increase in percentage of oxygen =34.53%−17.02%=17.51%
We need to express this as y×10−1%.
17.51%=175.1×10−1%
Rounding to the nearest integer, we get 175.
Answer: 175