Question

Why is phenol less acidic than acetic acid?

Answer 1

They say ethanoic acid is more acidic than phenol since the former can neutralize alkalis like NaOH, however, the latter cannot. But if we look into the structure of ethanoate ion and phenoxide ion, the delocalization of negative charge should be more in the phenoxide ion as the charge moves inside the benzene ring.

Answer 2

Answer:

They say ethanoic acid is more acidic than phenol since the former can neutralize alkalis like NaOH, however, the latter cannot. But if we look into the structure of ethanoate ion and phenoxide ion, the delocalization of negative charge should be more in the phenoxide ion as the charge moves inside the benzene ring:

hope this is the right answer