Question

How will u distinguish alcohol and phenol

Answer 1

Alcohols are compounds in which the OH group is attached to a saturated carbon (sp3 C) while phenols' OH is attached to a benzene ring. Both are considered weak acids. ... Ferric chloride test is specific for determination of phenol presence. So as mentioned above, phenol is more acidic and can form phenoxide anions.

Answer 2

Heya !!


Phenols are the aromatic organic compounds that have a hydroxyl group directly connected to a ring and alcohols are the non- aromatic compounds that have a hydroxyl group connected to the main chain. The difference is that one is cyclic and one is non- cyclic.

A simple way would be to dissolve some in water that had a pH of 7 and remeasure the pH after you add either phenol or ethanol. The former (phenol) will change the pH because it is an acid in water, ethanol will not change the pH because it is neutral in water.

Other ways, well, at room temperature, phenol is a solid and ethanol is a liquid. Lots of other ways but these are the simple ones to observe or measure. One other difference, a ethanol will get you drunk whereas a similar amount of phenol will probably kill you.


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Thanks !!