Asked in UHS MDCAT 2009 2009Moderate

Phenol can be distinguished from alcohol by adding:

Correct answer: A. Br2/H2O

  • A. Br2/H2O
  • B. FeSO4
  • C. Cl2/H2O
  • D. FeCl3

Explanation

Explanation:An aqueous solution of phenol reacts with bromine water to give white ppt of 2,4,6-tribromophenol . This is a test for presence of phenol. As a result, it can be used to differentiate between phenol and alcohol. FeSO4 does not react with either phenol or alcohols in a way that can be used to distinguish them from each other.Both phenol and alcohols can react with chlorine water to give a color change, but this test is not specific to phenol and cannot be used to distinguish it from alcohols. Phenols and alcohols react with FeCl3 to form a colored complex, known as ferric phenoxide. This test is used to detect the presence of Phenols, but it cannot be used to distinguish between phenols and alcohols.

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About Phenols

Phenols contain a hydroxyl group directly bonded to an aromatic ring, making them more acidic than alcohols because the phenoxide ion is resonance-stabilised. Reactions include ionisation with bases, electrophilic substitution, bromination, nitration and oxidation, with attention to the difference between phenols and aliphatic alcohols.

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