Phenols

Mediumchemistry

Arrange the following in decreasing order of acidic strength: phenol, water, ethanol.

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$Et han o l > Wa t er > P h e n o l$

$P h e n o l > Wa t er > Et han o l$

$Wa t er > P h e n o l > Et han o l$

$P h e n o l > Et han o l > Wa t er$

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Subject: chemistry
Chapter: organic compounds containing oxygen
Topic: phenols
Difficulty: Medium
Year: 2025

Solution

Correct Answer:

$P h e n o l > Wa t er > Et han o l$

Phenol is more acidic than water and ethanol because the phenoxide ion is resonance-stabilized. Water is more acidic than ethanol because the +I effect of the ethyl group in ethanol destabilizes the ethoxide ion. Therefore the correct order is phenol > water > ethanol.

This medium difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter organic compounds containing oxygen, covering the topic of phenols. It appeared in the 2025 exam.

Looking for more practice? Explore all chemistry questions or browse organic compounds containing oxygen questions on RankGuru.

Phenols

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