Assertion : Carbon oxygen bond length of phenol is slightly less than that in methanol.
Reason : There exist a partial double bond character and carbon to which oxygen is attached in phenol is `sp^2` hybridised.

Options

A. If both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
B. If both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
C. If (A) is correct, but (R) is incorrect
D. If both (A) and (R) are incorrect.

Answer

A

Explanation

In phenols, the -OH group is attached to `sp^2` hybridised carbon atom of an aromatic ring. The carbon oxygen bond length (136 pm in phenol is slightly less than in methanol. This is due to (i) partial double bond character on account of the conjugation of unshared electron pair of oxygen with the aromatic ring (ii) `sp^2` hybridised state of carbon to which oxygen is attached.