Statement I: Primary aliphatic amines react with HNO2 to give unstable diazonium salts.
Statement II: Primary aromatic amines react with HNO2 to form diazonium salts which are stable even above 300 K.
Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Statement I Explanation: Primary aliphatic amines react with nitrous acid (HNO2) to form diazonium salts. However, these diazonium salts are unstable at room temperature and tend to release nitrogen gas, leading to the formation of alcohols or other by-products. Therefore, Statement I is correct.
Statement II Explanation: Primary aromatic amines, such as aniline, react with nitrous acid to form diazonium salts. Unlike aliphatic diazonium salts, aromatic diazonium salts are typically stable at low temperatures (around 273 K) but decompose at higher temperatures (above 300 K) to yield phenols or other products. Hence, Statement II is incorrect because the stable nature of these salts is only at lower temperatures, not above 300 K.
Therefore, the correct answer is: Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect.