Which of the following is incorrect regarding Kolbe’s reaction?

The final product is Salicylic acid

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C O_{2}

acts as an electrophile

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Acidification of phenol leads to formation of main product

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Phenoxide ion undergoes electrophilic attack

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Solution

The correct option is C Acidification of phenol leads to formation of main product
The first step of Kolbe’s reaction is the formation of sodium phenoxide, which is formed by treating phenol with NaOH. This phenoxide undergoes substitution by a weak electrophile, $C O_{2}$ , to form the main product, i.e., 2-Hydroxybenzoic acid or salicylic acid.

Mechanism involves three steps:
Step-1: Formation of phenoxide

Step-2: Attack of electrophile
Step-3: Protonation
Hence, the correct answer is option (c).

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