Alcohols react with halogen acids as well as phosphorus halides to form haloalkanes but phenols do not form haloarenes. Explain.

Explanation

In phenols, the `C-O` bond has a partial double bond character due to resonance. Therefore, it is not easily cleaved by the `X^(-)` ion of halogen acids or phosphorus halids. But the bond is a pure single bond in alcohols and cleavage is therefore, possible. Thus, alcohols easily form haloalkanes while phenols donot form haloarenes.