What would be the major product of the following reaction?C6H5 -CH2-OC6H5 + HBr  A + B

The reaction given is between benzyl phenyl ether and hydrobromic acid (HBr). This is an example of an ether cleavage reaction.

Step 1: Protonation of the ether The reaction begins with the protonation of the oxygen atom in the ether by the hydrobromic acid. This makes the oxygen a good leaving group.

C6H5-CH2-O-C6H5 + HBr -> C6H5-CH2-OH2(+)-C6H5 + Br(-)

Step 2: Cleavage of the C-O bond The C-O bond is cleaved, and the oxygen takes the pair of electrons. This results in the formation of a carbocation and a phenol.

C6H5-CH2-OH2(+)-C6H5 -> C6H5-CH2(+) + C6H5-OH

Step 3: Reaction of the carbocation with bromide The carbocation reacts with the bromide ion to form the final product.

C6H5-CH2(+) + Br(-) -> C6H5-CH2-Br

So, the major products of the reaction are bromobenzene (C6H5-CH2-Br) and phenol (C6H5-OH).