13.5 How will you convert:
(viii) Propanoic acid into ethanoic acid?
Propanoic acid on reacting with an excess of ammonia gives propanamide which on further react with bromine and potassium hydroxide (Hoffmann bromamide degradation reaction) gives ethenamine. On diazotisation, ethenamine converted into azo salt which on treating with water forms ethanol. Ethanol on oxidation provides ethanoic acid.