The catalytic hydrogenation of benzene produces

Answer Details

Benzene (\(\text{C}_6\text{H}_6\)) is a cyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with a six-membered ring containing three alternating double bonds (or, more precisely, delocalised electrons). When benzene undergoes catalytic hydrogenation, three molecules of hydrogen add across the ring, saturating all the double bonds while preserving the ring structure:

\[\text{C}_6\text{H}_6 + 3\text{H}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{Ni, heat/pressure}} \text{C}_6\text{H}_{12}\]

The product is cyclohexane, a six-membered saturated ring. The key point is that hydrogenation adds hydrogen to the double bonds but does not break open the ring. Hexane (\(\text{C}_6\text{H}_{14}\)) is a straight-chain alkane, which would require ring-opening and further hydrogen addition; that is not what happens here.

Margarine is produced by the catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated vegetable oils (fats), not benzene. Hexene is an unsaturated six-carbon compound that would result from incomplete hydrogenation of a different starting material, not from benzene.