Assertion : Phenol is more acidic then m-methoxy phenol
Reason : `-OCH_(3)` shows `+I` effect

Options

A. If both assertion and reason are true and reason is correct
explanation of assertion
B. If both assertion and reason are true and reason is not correct
explanation of assertion
C. If assertion is true and reason is false
D. If both assertion and reason are false

Answer

To solve the question, we need to analyze the assertion and the reason provided:

**Assertion:** Phenol is more acidic than m-methoxy phenol.
**Reason:** `-OCH3` shows `+I` effect.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Acidity of Phenols:**
- The acidity of phenols is determined by the stability of the phenoxide ion formed after deprotonation (removal of H⁺).
- The more stable the phenoxide ion, the stronger the acid.

2. **Structure of Phenol:**
- Phenol (C₆H₅OH) has a hydroxyl (-OH) group directly attached to a benzene ring.
- When phenol loses a proton (H⁺), it forms a phenoxide ion (C₆H₅O⁻), which is stabilized by resonance.

3. **Structure of m-Methoxy Phenol:**
- In m-methoxy phenol, the -OCH₃ group is attached to the benzene ring at the meta position relative to the -OH group.
- The structure can be represented as C₆H₄(OH)(OCH₃).

4. **Effect of the Methoxy Group:**
- The -OCH₃ group is an electron-donating group due to its +I (inductive) effect.
- However, at the meta position, it does not participate in resonance with the -OH group.

5. **Inductive Effect vs. Resonance Effect:**
- The +I effect of -OCH₃ withdraws electron density from the benzene ring, which decreases the electron density on the -OH bond.
- This makes the -OH bond less stable and thus less acidic compared to phenol.

6. **Comparing Acidity:**
- The pKa value of phenol is approximately 9.98, while that of m-methoxy phenol is lower (around 9.65), indicating that m-methoxy phenol is actually more acidic than phenol.
- Therefore, the assertion that phenol is more acidic than m-methoxy phenol is **false**.

7. **Evaluating the Reason:**
- The reason states that -OCH₃ shows a +I effect, which is true, but it does not enhance the acidity of m-methoxy phenol compared to phenol.
- Since the -OCH₃ group does not stabilize the phenoxide ion through resonance at the meta position, the reasoning is also **false**.

### Conclusion:
Both the assertion and reason are false. Therefore, the correct answer is that both statements are incorrect.

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