Assertion: Carboxylic acids are more acidic than phenols.
Reason: Phenols are ortho and para directing.

Options

A. Assertion and reason both are correct statements and reason is correct explanation for assertion.
B. Assertion and reason both are correct statements but reason is not correct explanation for assertion.
C. Assertion is correct statement but reason is wrong statement.
D. Assertion is wrong statement but reason is correct statement.

Answer

To solve the given assertion and reason question, we will analyze both statements step by step.

### Step 1: Analyze the Assertion
**Assertion:** Carboxylic acids are more acidic than phenols.

- **Definition of Acidity:** Acidity is the ability of a compound to donate a proton (H+). The strength of an acid is determined by the stability of the conjugate base formed after the proton is lost.
- **Carboxylic Acids:** When a carboxylic acid (RCOOH) donates a proton, it forms a carboxylate ion (RCOO⁻). This ion is stabilized by resonance, as the negative charge can be delocalized between the two oxygen atoms.
- **Phenols:** When phenol (C6H5OH) donates a proton, it forms a phenoxide ion (C6H5O⁻). The negative charge on the oxygen can also be delocalized into the aromatic ring, but the resonance stabilization is less effective compared to that of the carboxylate ion.

**Conclusion for Step 1:** Carboxylic acids are indeed more acidic than phenols due to the greater stability of the carboxylate ion compared to the phenoxide ion.

### Step 2: Analyze the Reason
**Reason:** Phenols are ortho and para directing.

- **Ortho and Para Directing Groups:** In electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions, groups that can donate electron density to the aromatic ring (like -OH in phenols) direct incoming electrophiles to the ortho and para positions relative to themselves.
- **Relation to Acidity:** While it is true that phenols are ortho and para directing, this statement does not explain why carboxylic acids are more acidic than phenols. The directing effect of phenols does not influence their acidity directly.

**Conclusion for Step 2:** The reason provided does not correctly explain the assertion. It is a true statement about phenols, but it does not relate to their acidity compared to carboxylic acids.

### Final Conclusion
- The assertion is true: Carboxylic acids are more acidic than phenols.
- The reason is true but does not explain the assertion correctly.

### Answer:
Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation for the assertion. Therefore, the correct option would be that both statements are correct, but the reason is not a valid explanation for the assertion.

---