Explain the structure and acidic nature of phenol
Answers
Answer:
Phenols are the organic compounds containing benzene ring bonded to a hydroxyl group. They are also known as carbolic acids. Phenols react with active metals like sodium, potassium to form phenoxide. This reaction of phenol with metals indicates its acidic nature...
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Phenol is the organic compound which contains a hydroxyl group attached to a benzene ring.
- The formula of phenol is C6H5OH.
- In phenols, the -OH group is attached to sp2 hybridised carbon of aromatic ring.
- The C-O bond length in phenol is slightly less than that of methanol.
- This is due to the partial double bond character of the bond and sp2 hybridisation of the carbon to which oxygen is attached.
- The reaction of phenol with metals like sodium, aluminium, etc and Sodium hydroxide indicates its acidic nature.
2C6H5OH + 2Na ---> 2C6H5ONa + H2
- The reaction of phenol with aqueous sodium hydroxide indicates that phenol is a stronger acid than alcohols and water.
C6H5OH + NaOH ---> C6H5ONa + H2O