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How would you account for the following: phenol are much more acidic than alcohol

How would you account for the following: phenol are much more acidic than alcohol

Grade:12

2 Answers

Arun
25750 Points
5 years ago
Dear Ankit
 
Both alcohols and phenols are weakacid the alcohols are less acidic than phenols because it is very tough to remove the H ion easily because phenoxide ion formed is stablised to some extent This is the negative charge on the oxygen atom around the ring . Alkyl group in alcohol don't have resonance
 
Regards
Arun (askIITians forum expert)
Akshat
12 Points
5 years ago
We always check acidity by using the concept -
  1. C6H5OH ==> C6H5O- + H+
  1.  ROH ==> RO- + H+
That will be considered more acidic in which rate of reaction going forward is more hence the as the the stablity of product increases rate of reaction going forward increases so in this phenoxide is stablised due to resonance (which is not in case of alcohol) due to which rxn (1) will move more in forward direction and increase the concentration of [H]+ ion hence more acidic.
NOTE – BETTER ACID IS THAT WHICH GIVES MORE H+ IN AQEOUS SOLUTION

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