Phenol is heated with a solution of mixture of `KBr` and `KBrO_(3)`. The major product obtained in the above reaction is

Options

A. 2-Bromophenol
B. 3-Bromophenol
C. 4-Bromophenol
D. 2,4,6-Tribromophenol

Answer

To solve the question regarding the reaction of phenol with a mixture of KBr and KBrO3, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactants in this reaction are phenol (C6H5OH), potassium bromide (KBr), and potassium bromate (KBrO3).

2. **Understand the Reaction Conditions**:
- When phenol is heated with KBr and KBrO3, the bromate ion (BrO3^-) acts as an oxidizing agent, while the bromide ion (Br^-) provides bromine for substitution.

3. **Mechanism of Reaction**:
- The reaction involves electrophilic aromatic substitution where bromine (from KBr) substitutes the hydrogen atoms on the aromatic ring of phenol. Given that bromide ions are in excess, multiple bromination can occur.

4. **Determine the Positions of Bromination**:
- Phenol has an -OH group which is an activating group and directs electrophilic substitution to the ortho (2) and para (4) positions relative to itself. Therefore, bromination will occur predominantly at these positions.

5. **Draw the Structure of the Product**:
- The major product will have bromine atoms substituted at the ortho and para positions. Since there is an excess of bromide, we can expect bromination at all three positions: ortho (2), para (4), and meta (6).

6. **Name the Product**:
- The product formed is 2,4,6-tribromophenol, which has bromine substituents at the 2, 4, and 6 positions of the phenol ring.

7. **Final Answer**:
- The major product obtained from the reaction of phenol with KBr and KBrO3 is **2,4,6-tribromophenol**.