Can we use sodium to distinguish phenol from ethanol?
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The answer is contradictory , because asking straight away reaction with Na is not a good question because Na is in it's ground state so and it will loose it's stability by reacting with some other salt or acid.
But test can be performed by reacting these two compounds with Hydroxide of Na, which is basic in nature.
Though phenol is acidic in nature it will react with NaOH to form phenoxide , whereas ethanol is basic in it;s nature so it will no react with with it.
Note: A method you can follow but it's not a good method for testing them, Na will react with ethanol to give hydrogen gas, but in case of phenol Na will not directly, it wil need some catalyst bcoz it's a aromatic compound.
But test can be performed by reacting these two compounds with Hydroxide of Na, which is basic in nature.
Though phenol is acidic in nature it will react with NaOH to form phenoxide , whereas ethanol is basic in it;s nature so it will no react with with it.
Note: A method you can follow but it's not a good method for testing them, Na will react with ethanol to give hydrogen gas, but in case of phenol Na will not directly, it wil need some catalyst bcoz it's a aromatic compound.
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