Phenols

• A phenol is an aromatic compound with a hydroxyl group directly bonded to a benzene ring.
• Phenols are weakly acidic as they partially dissociate in water. They react with strong bases but not weak bases.
• Phenols undergo electrophilic substitution aqueous bromine forming a white precipitate of 2,4,6-tribromophenol + HBr
• When reacted with dilute nitric acid at room temperature, phenols form a mixture of 2-nitrophenol and 4-nitrophenol.
• Phenols are more reactive than benzene due to the presence of a lone pair of electrons in the oxygen p-orbital of the hydroxyl group.