Fundamental Organic Chemistry

PHENOL
Phenol is aromatic compound contains one or more hydroxyl group (OH)
connected directly to aromatic nucleus.
Phenol classified according to the number of hydroxyl contained group into :
Monohydric phenol
Dihydric phenol
Trihydric phenol
General properties of phenol:
1- Solubility:
Phenol soluble in sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH) or potassium
hydroxide (KOH) ,phenol differ from acids it doesn’t dissolve in basic
carbonate like sodium carbonate Na 2 CO 3 and potassium carbonate
k 2 CO 3 .
2- Ferric chloride test:
This test used to identify phenols it gives complex with red, blue, Purple
or green color.
3- Azodye formation test:
Diazonum salt react with phenols in basic medium via substitution
forming compounds, known as AZODYE, most of them used in cloth
dying. Azodyes are colored and they color depend on the kind of
phenol and the aromatic amine which used to form the azo compound.
4- Bromination test:
Phenols react with bromine forming the substituted product
which are mainly solids.
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