dont versus de laquelle

Question

une belle table en chêne massif dont le propriétaire avait besoin

de laquelle is wrong here?   it refers to table

Accepted Answer

Hi Mary Anne, 
Relative pronouns are complex. 
Here is the Kwiziq lesson on how to use 'dont' for 'whose'' -
Dont = Whose
Bonne Continuation!

Answer

You use dont when you refer to a verbal phrase, i.e. a phrase which derices from a verb. In the sentence you quote: dont il avait besoin... the verbal phrase is avoir besoin de... and therefore you use dont. In principal you can also use de laquelle (with its verious derivatives) but it sounds archaic and dont is preferred. However, there are cases where de laquelle is called for, and this is in prepositional phrases that don't have a verb:La femme à côté de laquelle ton frère est assis... -- The woman on whose side your brother sits...In this sentence the phrase is: à qôté de. There is no verb in it, so you can't use dont.