What is the best choice of reagent to accomplish the following transformation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The transformation involves converting the alcohol to the corresponding alkyl chloride. The best reagent for this is SOCl2 in the presence of a base, such as pyridine, which helps to remove the resulting HCl. Therefore, the best choice is Option B, which contains SOCl2 (written as POCl3 in the option) and pyridine. Option A (TsCl, pyridine) is also a good choice as TsCl is a derivative of SOCl2, but POCl3 is a stronger reagent and more commonly used. Option C (HCl, ZnCl2) is not suitable for the transformation as it can cause side reactions such as deprotonation or elimination. Option D (NaOH) is not relevant as it does not contain any reagent that can convert an alcohol to an alkyl chloride.

What Is the Best Choice of Reagent to Accomplish the Following